5 Unplanned

After she spent some time with Kylie, Lyla had finished a bit more work. She had now, however, started to consider her progress so far.

The first book had started with the deal between the heroine and the wolves. The wolves hadn't needed the technology she was willing to provide.

But at the time she asked, there had been a recent kidnapping. They'd lost a young wolf-girl. And after asking around, they had managed to find out that just a few weeks prior, the same had happened to the foxes.

The foxes, too weak by then to act on it, had managed to find out that some vampire had to be the culprit. They hadn't yet managed to track the perpetrator down because their pack had imploded after their loss. The hurt had been too much for them, while the wolves were still pressuring them. They had, however, been able to limit the suspect list down to the most powerful and influential vampires, the vampire nobility, and those directly associating with them.

With that in mind, the wolves had accepted the deal, to get an in on that group. After dancing around each other for a while, feelings had slowly blossomed between the wolf alpha and the heroine. Chase had than finally confided in her, and together they had found out that it was Robert Cohen who was sadistically murdering beastkin girls. They had then brought him down in a hail of claws, teeth, and light powers, just in time to save the heavily traumatized girl.

Which was all good and well, but not something Lylas conscious could accept. For one, that fox girl was still alive, and also Robert Cohen had more victims than just the beastkin girls. As long as Shade was in his hands, he would keep suffering. So Lyla had moved up the timeline. She had given the wolves an early start and pushed forward the deal to match.

There was, however, still something missing. In the book, right before Robert Cohen was caught, he had had an altercation with another strong vampire. Leaving him weaker than usual, so no blood spilled except his. Although the revelation of that only happened in the second book, Lyla couldn't ignore it.

She had already contacted the concerned family. After all, Robert Cohen had already made the move that leads to this. She knew that the patriarch of that family would first check whether the information she gave him was correct or not, but he would be acting on it as soon as he was sure. She hoped that it would be right before the wolves and Ellen Avery came down on him. But even were it earlier, it would still leave him weak enough to reduce any casualties to wounded only.

Lyla put down a document she had held and rubbed with her fist over her hand. She knew of a few other people that sorely needed help, but she couldn't right now. The series of events she had triggered already had her on edge, she had to make sure they went without a hitch. She also couldn't draw too much attention right now. The other vampire nobles weren't exactly her friends. Ellen Avery only had a working relationship and a pretty new one. She was actively trying to get Robert Cohen killed. And the others well they wouldn't mind taking her power from her for themselves.

To top that all of, she was actively trying to break down her own company. The original Lyla had set up shell companies within shell companies, and the whole thing allowed her to be very cloak and dagger while still keeping control. Lyla, however, was only stressed by all the barely legal or outright illegal stuff.

So most of it had to go and be integrated suitably into her company. She had to plan this thoroughly before she acted on it, or else someone in her organization would use this chance to screw her over.

That thought brought her back to her secretary, but she wasn't sure how to handle that problem at all. It was a wildcard she couldn't even really take into account.

Finally, she packed all her documents and looked over to Kylie. The girl was sitting on the sofa playing a game on a tablet Lyla had given her. Her eyes were already drooping, and a look at the clock confirmed that it was already past bedtime.

"Let's go to sleep," Lyla said to her.

Kylie looked at her, and she could see the effort it took the girl to keep her eyes open. "Okay."

The girl put down the tablet and walked over to her.

After they had both changed into sleepwear, they got into Lyla's bed again. Lyla pulled Kylie in a hug, and the girl reciprocated, pulling herself towards her.

Lyla had started to get attached to the girl. She had already liked the fictional character, but living with her was very different. She patted the girl a few times, she knew the girl had family, but it was nice to think of her as her little sister.

~~~

Ronin was standing outside of a house within a high-end residential area, a vampire area. He wasn't alone though, with him was their leader, the wolves alpha, Greg, Devon, and the remaining wolf, Tom.

The house they were about to enter, belonged to the vampire duchess Lyla Reyes. They had planned to wait longer and get more information before they acted. However, when they realized she was even involved in the deal with the wolves. They had decided some answered were in order.

It was like everything lead back to her. When they reached the door, they realized that something was strange. The door was slightly open, and the lock looked deformed.

And when the foxkin present realized what they were smelling, all three hissed.

"What?" Chase demanded in a quiet voice.

"The smell is very weak, but there is a trace of Meika." Kiara's comment had the wolves growling low.

"Let's get in then." No one disagreed.

~~~

"...la! Lyla! Lyla!" She woke up to Kylie quietly hissing her voice. She was momentarily disoriented until her eyes focused on the girl kneeling over her.

"What is it." She asked just as quietly, taking her cue from the girl.

But before the girl could even answer, she heard footsteps. They were unhurried and confident, though they weren't loud, the person also didn't seem to hide the sound their steps made.

Fear seized Lyla's heart, and she looked around frantically for a place where she and Kylie could hide. The only option she could see was her walk-in closet. As silent as possible, they went for it and closed the door. Their hands were closely linked, and from Kylie's grip, it was clear she was just as frightened.

Lyla calmed down on that thought. She had to protect the girl, and she could, she had powers now. Her eyes turned blood red. She flinched as she remembered how she had last used her abilities. But she calmed herself again. She was only protecting Kylie. She wasn't a killer because she wanted to.

Then she heard the door open, and the steps stop. "Now, Lyla, what did you think? I gave you such a valuable present to safe keep, and what did you do? You sicked the wolves on me."

Lyla's eyes widened. It was Robert, and he knew she had betrayed him, how?

She activated her abilities, ready to launch cracks towards Robert the moment he opened the closet.

"Did you think you could outsmart me? Even you should know better, did it not occur to you that I would bug your electronic devices? Well, you were mistaken." The door burst. All Lyla could do was defend her and Kylie from the larger pieces. She started bleeding when a sharp but tiny shard graced her temple. She had immediately pulled Kylie in a hug to shield her and tried to cover her more with her powers, spreading out the cracks around them.

"I pecked you for smarter, Lyla. Now it seems I will have to remove you." Robert stood motionless in the doorway, slick brown hair gelled to the back, hands slightly lifted to the sides. When he moved his hands towards each other, she could see figures closing in on him with teeth and claws. But that didn't matter to her all that much. The closet was collapsing in on them, and her powers wouldn't protect them from that. Lyla had no choice but to gamble.

She had theorized an application of her power. One that the original had never considered, though she didn't know why. She focused on the space behind Robert, where the bed was. Then she forced more power out than she should, stretching everything out she could use. Enveloping her and Kylie and pushing a single strand to the bed. And then she ripped herself and Kylie to that point.

With a snap, both of them landed on the bed. Lyla could see a big fox ripping Robert's throat out, and then everything went black.