The next two days following the revelation of her brothers’ plan were arguably a couple of the most torturous days of Izzy’s life. But she succeeded in at least preventing her brothers from going after the White Wolf, and [i]that[/i] was what mattered. Even so, her mind frequently wandered to the vampire child, hoping he was doing okay, as well as to Riley, who had, clearly, not been capable of stopping the Wolf yet. And the rumors of the beast that had taken over her friend only spread like a disease through the town.
	When, at long last, their parents finally got a day off to take over her job, Izzy did not hesitate to hop on her bike and head to the abandoned school. With Riley’s shirt, which she had thrown in with her laundry the other day, tucked into a small backpack, she pedaled quickly, enjoying both the summery weather, and the feeling of not having to trail after her brothers. Though she doubted Riley would be there at this hour, she could at least leave the garment somewhere for him.
	When she made it to the school, she habitually hid her bike in its usual, out-of-the-way spot, then hurried through the darkened school, a flashlight in hand. She made her way through the halls on muscle memory, a path she was sure she could walk blindfolded, to the usual classroom the vampire child normally brooded in.
	When she entered, she startled back at the unexpected, but not uncommon, sight of Riley on his desk-bed.
	“Oh, hey,” she greeted, unsure at first whether he was sleeping or not. She stepped inside, letting her backpack slide to one elbow. “I thought you’d... be...” Her words faded as she got a better look at Riley. She inhaled at his wounded, haggard appearance sprawled out on the desks. “Riley!”
	She dropped her bag on the floor and hurried over to him, her uncertainty turning to whether or not he was alive or dead. She had never seen him in such horrible shape. Until that moment, she had thought of him as being practically invincible, the ultimate “balance keeper” who did not fear looking danger in the eye--or stealing the heart of the King of Aberrations.
	Izzy stopped and held her breath as Riley managed to sit up with no little effort, making him look that much worse as his new position allowed her a better view of his condition. 
	At his mention of the “miraculous wonder bandage,” she glanced to her now healed arm, then back to him. “The White Wolf did that to you?” she breathed, incapable of looking away from his condition. “Are you...” she paused, realizing the stupidity of asking if he was okay, and quickly switched questions. “Is there anything I can do? I mean, I don’t know if it’ll do [i]you[/i] any good,” she eyed the severity of how banged up he was, “but I, uh, apparently still have some healing capabilities.”