Practice, practice, work, work.

Just the other day, the girls asked me how it was that I was able to do everything that I did. School, work, music, working out, relationships, hobbies… even magic practice. Honestly, I had no idea. I suppose one part of it is that I’m good at keeping to a schedule and the other is that I’m sort of… supercharged with magical energy that makes me not get tired.

Well, not normally. I had a slight feeling I was starting to hit my limit. Or at least a mental limit, and it started that very same Thursday.

Since we had a lot to do, our temporary band decided to stay at university a while longer to practice properly. As such, I gave the keys to the van to Alice so they could go back home first and called Diana to ask her if she could pick me up when she was done with work. She had no problems with that, yet she called me back some 15 minutes later to tell me that, if I was available, Luke wanted me to stop by the hotel. It was secret business related, so I couldn’t exactly say no. And besides, I still felt fine that day.

“Wait, you’re working today?” Luna asked me as we were finishing up our two-hour practice. “Isn’t that on Fridays?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but the boss wants to see me. I don’t know what about, though,” I lied.

“You don’t think you’re… in trouble, right?” Eric said.

“Who knows? I just hope I’m not getting fired. I went to the supermarket the other day and buying stuff for a household of seven is pretty damn expensive.”

“You can’t stay to practice tomorrow, right?” Steven asked me.

“Yeah, I actually have to work a regular night shift tomorrow. Saturday, too.”

Ruby grimaced. “I’m really starting to worry we might not have enough time to practice…”

She was right. I was starting to worry as well. I suppose I’d need to make time during the weekend. “Should we get together on Sunday?” I asked.

“I can, but… where? At home I have to use an electronic drum kit because our neighbours hate it when I play, so I can’t invite you over.”

Steven nodded. “And I don’t exactly have the space.”

“We live in apartments…” Luna said, glancing at Ruby.

“...” I have a music room big enough to fit us all and we wouldn’t be bothering anyone. Not only are my closest neighbours about 5 kilometers away, but the room is soundproof. We’d be next to the secret room, they’re not likely to find it. And even if they do… there’s no way they believe I live a life of chastity with seven girlfriends, anyway. Still… despite it being my house, it’s not just MY house. I also didn’t want to explain the house, but I couldn’t let that deprive us of needed practice.

“I’ll see if I can invite you over to my place,” I said. “It’s fairly out of the way, and I need to ask the others if they don’t mind, but I do have a music room we can use.”

“O-Oh. Right. You… moved out from your mom’s,” Eric said. I nodded.

Luna and Ruby looked at each other again, then gave me a thumbs up. “We’re down. We’ll give these two a ride. If you CAN invite us, that is,” Luna said.

“I’m down, too. I wanna meet your cat,” Steven said.

“The true star of the show,” I said, chuckling. “Anyway, I need to leave quickly. See you guys tomorrow.”

I threw my guitar case over my shoulder and jogged away. I had to catch a bus to the hotel, and that was like a 40 minute trip. It also felt like I hadn’t taken a bus in ages.

I went directly to Luke’s office, as requested, and knocked on the door. He called for me to come in.

“Oliver, I apologize for calling you so suddenly,” Luke said, standing up from his desk to shake my hand. “I hope I didn’t get in the way of anything.”

It was only a slight inconvenience, so I wasn’t going to complain. “It’s fine. How was Greece?” I asked him, remembering that was where his last business trip had taken him.

He sighed. “Not great. I’d heard rumors of a woman possessed by a Spirit of Gluttony who was using its powers to make transcendentally delicious food.” He sighed again. “It was a bust. I mean, the restaurant was very good, but nothing transcendental or supernatural about it.”

“Aren’t Spirits like your and mine… super rare?”

“Extremely so. If there were more than 14 of their caliber in the entire planet, I’d be shocked. It’s part of why I value our partnership, Oliver. And also why I would personally go all the way to Greece to check on a mere rumor.”

I suppose I understood. If what drives him is greed, he’ll go to hell and back to get what he wants. Apparently he now wants tasty food.

“So… What do you need me for?” I asked.

He nodded. “I had a talk with Diana earlier.”

“About the day shift?” I asked.

He chuckled. “That was the main topic, yes. But she’s on the case and not something I’d have you come here for. No, this is about a little something she let slip.” Luke smirked. “I hear you’re getting a lot better at mixing your magical essence into a cocktail.”

Ah, that. “There’s progress, but I can only really make one thing.”

“Would you please make three of those now?”

I blinked. “Now? And three?”

He nodded. “The alchemist you’ve been working with will be leaving again for a while, and I would like them to taste what you’re able to make before they do. Both them and myself are hoping that the first-hand knowledge will help in making an even more efficient elixir. And of course, if you’re already making that… I would like to try it as well.”

I sighed, but smiled. “Should we use the lab?”

“Yes. Better to keep this away from the public eye for now, just to be safe.”

I had to infiltrate the bar to get what I needed, and while it was completely empty besides Diana and the other two employees, I saw them getting most of the night shift’s prepwork ready. I see Diana was already making progress.

I went back to the lab and made three negronis like the one I made for Diana yesterday. And like her, or rather, even more than her, Luke and the alchemists were completely baffled by what they felt.

“This is… new,” Luke said, grinning from ear to ear and shaking as if he couldn’t control his own excitement. “Truly, Oliver. This is an entirely new creation. Something that didn’t exist before you made it happen.”

Even the alchemists seemed extremely giddy, and I was worried I might have gotten the mixing wrong. But no, they were just shocked. Why wasn’t Diana, though?

…

…

It’s probably that she’s used to the afterglow of an orgasm from sex with me, unlike everyone else here. Well, that, and they seemed to see this as a way bigger deal than I did.

“Oliver, you’re free to refuse, but I would like you to work at the bar here for a private party I’ll be hosting. The guests will be some of my closest associates, all of whom know about the supernatural. I’d love for them to try this.”

I grimaced. “Um… Is it wise?”

“Ah. I understand your concern, but these are all people I fully trust, and I don’t say that lightly. Like you, I have my own ways of judging character and… intentions.”

Well, of course he did. He had better mastery of his own powers than I did mine. If I was able to read minds, Luke could probably do something similar.

“Oh, and since this would be outside your regular shifts, I’d pay you extra. And like I mentioned before, I value your skills and would pay you… accordingly.”

The receipt for the supermarket from the other day flashed before me like a bad nightmare.

“I’ll do it.”

And that was another compromise added to the list.

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