Waves were crashing into the white sand. A mermaid was asking for Ryker's phone number. He denied of course. Pregnancy was not on his bucket list.
His friend was still at the beachbar and had a cat sitting on his lap, a drink in his hand. They probably were going to have to call Liv or Maddie to pick them up.
Ryker walked to Brock to join him in their misadventure. Maybe getting blackout drunk was the answer.
In the distance a car with loud music pulled into the parking lot, the bass thrumming like a second heartbeat. A Ferrari that was painted a garish red. Music vanished as two guys stepped out, the tall, bulky one had two horns, the other looked normal.
They stepped into the bar and the atmosphere became heavy. People were leaving in droves, the college girls left including the one that had been sitting on Brock's lap.
Brock narrowed his eyes and clenched his hand then he stood up, ready to confront this duo. Before Ryker could even attempt to restrain him, Brock took a step forward.
"Minotaur," the golem gritted his teeth, the casual way he addressed the species was unusual.
"Golem."
The guy towered over Brock, his muscles ripling under a tight-fitting black shirt, his breath sounded like an angry bull.
Ryker made his way next to his friend and both duo were staring each other down. The testosterone in the air was suffocating, even the music had stopped. Heat was radiating from the dragon. This was going to be a fistfight.
Brock fist turned into stone and he launched it forward, a straight punch aimed at the minotaur's abdomen.
The hulking figure flexed his abs and accepted the punch, the floorboards cracking underneath him. The impact barely made him stagger.
With a smirk the minotaur returned with a swing of his own. Brock accepted the punch and he stood his ground. Both sides didn't give an inch.
Suddenly everyone burst into laughter
"Brock man your punches are something else."
"I think my kidney moved Rul."
Rul patted the golem's shoulder with enough force to nearly buckle his knees.
Ryker gave the dragon a handshake. A casual display of friendly violence that would have terrified anyone else.
"Aren't you guys supposed to come back tomorrow Kael?" Brock asked, as he flexed his fingers to get the feeling back.
"Nah," the dragonkin ran a hand through his spiky red hair, "F-rank is baby stuff," he said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it with the tip of his finger, a tiny wisp of flame dancing on the flesh.
Chairs were filled as they all took a seat.
With a puff of smoke escaping his lips, "You guys hanging out at the pawn shop now?" he asked.
A sudden, cold hollow was forming in Ryker's gut. Why are there so many confusing questions today? First Anna, now this?
"We haven't been to the pawn shop in years," he took a sip of beer to wash away the bitter taste.
Kael raised his eyebrows, "I saw Anna there with Leo before we left."
Brock caught Kael's eyes and shook his head to warn him not to continue.
The smoke from the cigarette hung in the air between them.
Ryker's heart was dropping in his chest. He didn't want to be jealous or anything but she's making it difficult to trust her.
"I mean she wouldn't say no to you and then go with another guy right?" the horned one chimed in.
"She lied," Ryker said.
The group went silent.
"To her mother," Brock finished, "About us tutoring her."
The explanation seemed to satisfy Kael and Rul, but it did little to soothe the knot in Ryker's stomach.
"Technically not lying Ryke," Kael said, as he crushed the cigarette under the heel of his boot.
Biting his lips, he decided to change the subject, "So what monsters did you guys had to fight?"
"Orcs," Rul said as if he was disgusted, "Easy."
The conversation went back and forth, but Ryker found himself drifting in and out.
"How's Liv?" the flying lizard asked.
"She's good, I'm making sure she takes her meds," Ryker responded with a small smile. The topic of his sister always grounded him.
Brock nodded, "We wouldn't want a repeat of that..." he shuddered at the memory.
A sudden wave of guilt washed over Ryker, that boys face was etched into his memory forever, as well as the look of pure terror.
"She did it out of love. I respect that," Rul said.
He nodded in agreement, but the guilt remained.
Their banter was cut short when an interesting news appeared on the tv and they asked for the volume to be raised. The news woman was talking about a world record being set for the hardest solo dungeon clear.
Giving the spotlight to her coworker, the tv changed to an interviewer standing next to a dark-purple haired woman. The woman's eyes were purple, signifying her lineage.
Her eyes reminded him of Liv's when she was off her meds. They were a mix of red and purple.
"Isabella Dracula, daughter of Valerica Dracula, has done the impossible. She has single-handedly cleared the 47th floor of the S-ranked dungeon Keria."
The whole bar turned silent at the name.
"Honestly they're the real monsters," Brock said.
With a click of the remote, they turned the TV off, the silence in the bar was deafening.
Slamming his hand on the counter, Kael shattered the silence.
"How did the four of us end up here," he took a deep breath, "We should have been in the capital, not in the boonies."
"All of us should be on the path to S-rank, Ryke," he added looking directly at the vampire.
"You too. There are B-ranks that use mana weapons. Don't give me that 'I don't have magic' excuse," he added.
His red eyes were glowing.
Heaviness spread throughout the room, and they were looking at Ryker.
"I would if I could... but they don't need more disabled vampires," his voice trailed off, the familiar taste of bitterness returning. He had memorized all the regulations and requirements by heart.
"Fuck man," Rul looked down.
"Besides we're going to a college with Anna," Brock tried to diffuse the tension. This statement earned him a nod from the red dragon.
Their support didn't fully ease the tightness in Ryker's chest but he was grateful for them.
"Rul and I got accepted," the red dragon said with a heavy heart.
Rul, who was about to order another drink stopped, and gave the dragonkin an angry glare.
"No lies in the circle," Kael reminded Rul, "We're going to Meridian Academy," He looked Ryker directly in the eyes when he said it.
Ryker's throat tightened, his fangs pierced his own lips, his already slow heartbeat went almost still.
"Wow..." he said.
Meridian Academy was a neutral ground between West and East, accepting the top talents from both sides. A stepping stone to becoming an S-rank adventurer.
"Congratulation," Ryker said, raising his glass to them even if it hurt.