Taking a deep breath, Lyla prepared herself and hoped that the trio at the table would give her what she wanted.

"I will relent on my mission, but I want two things. The first is that we figure out what is really going on at Fielding Hall. Eloise could have ended up there, and I want to know what kind of fate awaits someone when they enter that place."

The trio nodded, already thinking their varied thoughts about how it was a good idea. They'd spent years assuming it was just a place to raise and educate orphan children as well as re-educating those who had strayed from the path.

"The end result of that would be dependent on what we find. As we do not know for certain, I am leaving it open-ended. If it's nothing, then I am happy to walk away, but if he's got a vampire farm in there, then I am shutting it down. I don't expect your acceptance to join, but I figure you're never going to be far away regardless of what I do."

Ris gave Adley a subtle smirk. She knew that was not meant for either of them.

"Sure, we'll be there. Right, Adley?"

The behemoth nodded at the bewitching vampire. He'd happily walk into any situation if it meant that he could spend another full moon with her.

"Great," Lennon grumbled. "What's number two?"

"I want Gamichee dead."

Silence hit the table, and Lyla scoffed.

"Come on, it's not surprising."

Lennon nodded, his gaze lowering to the table.

"It's not going to be easy, but I know that you can get it done. We'll tell you what we know on the assurances that you'll stop the needless killing of innocent vampires."

"Us included," Ris added.

"Agreed," Lyla said. "Though to be fair, I think it's pretty obvious that I wasn't going to kill you guys. You were supposed to leave town though, that's kind of made things a little difficult."

"We can't. You heard what happened to Chad. This is our land, and we have to stay within the territory that we live in, and if we're caught in another town, the leader is going to make us pay."

Lyla said nothing in response. She didn't want anything bad happening to them, even if she was angry at all vampires. These three, they were growing on her, and she knew that, like Eloise, her life would be incomplete without them. It was bad enough that she had to suffer through her days while thinking of what she could have done to save her. Lyla didn't need to add three more to that list.

The door swung open, and a can skittered across the floor. Oscar and Diego turned, watching as the grey smoke started to rise. Reaching under the counter, Diego pulled out his shotgun as Oscar stood from the stool. With a kick, it was sent skittering out the door again.

"Get into the saferoom," Lyla called out as she lifted the table.

"Can't do that, Blue, you know how it is."

What did Lyla know? She knew that Diego was a stubborn man, and Oscar was no better.

Turning over the table, Lyla dragged the trio behind it for protection. Pulling the guns from the holsters, Lyla climbed up onto the bench seat, then quietly stepped down to the floor. Carefully, she moved to the wall, edging herself along it.

The intruders were dressed like a swat team, even moving into the room as if they were. Lyla waited for more to enter, surprised that there were only three. As the door swung shut, Lyla slid the heavy steel rod across it. They had a grand total of three imposters to deal with. No one trying to break down the door, no one smashing through the windows.

"Get down," One yelled out. "Put your weapon on the bar and step away with your hands where I can see them."

Oscar lifted his hands up but then smiled, nodding to the area behind them. The men turned and saw the woman standing behind them with guns drawn.

"If you don't mind, we'll be taking those from you. Be good little vampires and put them on the ground, kick them aside."

"The place is surrounded." One called out.

Lyla frowned, putting one of the guns back into its holster. She walked over to the vampire that spoke and pulled the balaclava from his face. Then she smiled.

"So good to see you again, Carson. How's Gamichee?"

He grimaced.

"Signing your death warrant."

"Funny, I was doing the same thing for him."

Oscar picked up the guns while Diego kept the shotgun firmly pinned to the three vampires. Once the three of them were tied to chairs, Oscar pulled the balaclavas from the two that remained.

"Edwards?"

Oscar was stunned to see his once favoured employee in front of him. He'd always seen Rick as a son. He was the kind of employee that he always searched for but rarely found.

"He's working as a gunman for the vampire boss."

Rick didn't like the defiant amusement in Lyla's tone, narrowing his eyes with growing anger.

"I was badly injured. They saved me."

"Vampires turning humans into their little pets to be at their beck and call. You always were a good little puppy."

"Go to hell." he hissed under his breath.

Lyla chuckled as she turned to pull a chair closer. She sat down, noting that the trio had emerged from where she'd hidden them. The table was restored, and they were sitting there, quietly stunned.

Carson looked at her then at the rest of the people that were watching him. It was weird, and he hated how Lyla was just smiling at him. She was wired, ready to wait the early morning hours out and get revenge for every single moment she's suffered.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting."

He didn't want to know, but he knew that he had to ask. It was better to know than to ignore it and miss an opportunity.

"For what?"

The smile increased, and Lyla leaned forward to whisper.

"The sun."