Lennon was uneasy about the suggestion of their new hideout, but Lyla said that it would be fine. It wasn't just that they were going to a human's house, and he was a vampire. It was because they were going to his house, as in, the ex. Lyla reasoned that they needed protection, and if anyone had the means to do that, it was Isaac.

She'd tried to assure him that Isaac would see the difference between him and Nironsa. She also figured him out easily and said that their marriage was long dead and could not be revived. It was not enough to convince Lennon, but he kept his mouth shut. Over the years, he'd learned that pissing off a woman was a good way to send her into the sympathetic arms of the opposition.

Isaac opened the door to his ex-wife and a group of strangers that just didn't seem right. He frowned softly but then offered an uneasy smile to Lyla.

"Hey, Lyla, what's up?"

"I need to ask a really big favour from you."

"Oscar told me about your weapons order. Who or what are you planning on killing?"

"Oh, that." She said dryly. "That's kind of on hold for a moment. Don't worry, I'm still going to take down our baby's killer."

"Good," he grunted. "Who are your friends?"

"Sorry,"

Lyla turned her hand out, gesturing to the trio behind her.

"Merissa, Adley and Lennon. They helped me find Eloise."

"Then I guess that earns you all a drink."

Isaac pushed open the door. Ris was about to say something when Lyla frowned at her before walking into the house. Watching as they passed, Isaac knew that two vampires were walking into his home, but the big guy, he didn't know what to make of him. Adley looked at the human.

"I'm guessing that you two are vampires, but you're not, are you?"

Adley responded, but Isaac stared blankly.

"He's a werewolf, and you won't be able to understand him because you've got dumb brain."

"Lennon," Lyla chided.

He rolled his eyes.

"Fine, your mind is not evolved enough to understand the complex vocal cords of a werewolf. Is that better, your majesty?"

Isaac chuckled as he flicked the lock. Going by the tone of the vampire, he'd say that Lyla had managed to find someone that was just like him. He believed it would be driving her crazy.

"We don't have long, so we'll cut straight to it," Lyla said as she sat at the dining table. "The vampire responsible for Eloise's death is,"

Lyla exhaled deeply, her hands rubbing over her forehead as she looked down at the table.

"Do you remember when I said that I had a dream as a child that I was bitten by a vampire?"

"Yeah,"

Isaac moved around the table, putting a beer in front of Lyla and Adley. Ris was surprised when the human put bottles in front of her and Lennon. It was an expensive brand of beer that had a blood vial to add to it just before consumption.

"I have vampire friends." Isaac offered. "It's surprising, but it comes with the work that I do."

Merissa's eyebrows rose in acknowledgement, then quietly went about popping the cap.

"Go on,"

Lyla pressed her lips tight with a grim smile as she looked up at Isaac, who was sitting at the opposite end of the table.

"Well, turns out it wasn't a dream. I actually was bitten, and all this time, I've been a hybrid which made Eloise one too. She fell in with a bad crowd, and one of them lured her away. He was the brother of the vampire that runs this town."

"Uh, the vampire that thinks he runs this town," Isaac corrected her. "Pretty sure that the government has the final say in all things."

"You might be wrong about that."

Isaac turned to the vampire, curiously tilting his head.

"How so?"

"Gamichee has gotten to where he is today because he has the government officials in his pocket. He tells them what to do and what he wants. I know this because I've lived under his roof for long enough to see it."

"Well, I suppose that corrupt people will always find the right government employee to bribe. Carry on."

"Because we're a hybrid, well, were a hybrid, they could breed with us."

"Were? Done something you shouldn't have by any chance?"

She nodded, still unsure if it was the right thing to do. Yes, her life was fading away, and it was necessary if she wanted to live, but it meant that she couldn't have children anymore. Lyla thought about that and realised that it was for the best.

She couldn't handle losing another child if something happened. Eloise's death was still too new, too raw for her to handle the thought of another child.

"So, if you're a vampire now, what's the issue? You can't have kids now, right?"

Lyla was shaking her head. Lennon frowned at her.

"Of course you can. It's just like super rare. Trust me, Gamichee is still after you because he knows what you can give him. Regardless of how you're now connected to his family, he will still hunt you for breeding. It just won't be with him now."

"You said this would save me from him." Lyla snapped.

"Yeah, and it will. Do you really want that creep clawing at your body?"

"Children," Isaac said in a terse tone. "I don't think you have the hours in the night to be arguing like this. Before any of you get too drunk, why don't you move the car into the garage?"

"He's right," Ris murmured.

Adley said something, Lyla struggled to understand him.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Come on, let's get those boxes out and go through them."

The three of them left the house, leaving Lyla sitting at the table with Isaac.

"How have you been?"

"Struggling. I'm lucky that Tom keeps me busy."

Lyla nodded, solemnly looking down at the bottle cap.

"You and your friends can take the guest house. I'm going to be out of town for about a week, leaving here mid-morning. You can stay while I'm gone. Just don't trash the house, okay?"

"Sure, and thanks, I appreciate it."

Isaac looked at Lyla, offering a pained smile.

"It's the least I could do after everything that you did to bring Eloise home."

She smiled, but the tears rolled down her cheeks. Lyla didn't know if there would be a day when she stopped crying. It hurt beyond anything she could comprehend, and it seemed as if it would never go away.