Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to "True Blood."
Chapter Four: Deadweight
- Thanks for being patient. I'm back on campus now so I have my computer and internet. I'll be able to make much more lively updates. This chapter is a little short, but I needed to give you something for your patience.
……..
Layla's eyes slowly opened. They were met by Eric's and his gleaming pearlescent fangs. Somehow she had fell asleep in his lap.
Layla blinked several times and pulled her arm to her face to view her watch. It was three o' clock in the morning. Layla shivered and pulled on Eric's tank top. The material didn't help much. She thought about clinging her arms to him. But that would just further his already apparent arousal. Damn horndog.
"Your skin…" He noted. "You have chills all over." He traced his index finger along her arm. "Layla requires more heat. Turn on your car's heater." Eric demanded to Andres.
Andres rolled his eyes and twisted the knob for the heat. He was winding the car down the road with definite purpose.
"So where are we going?" Layla asked as she sat up. But before she could move away, Eric grabbed her waist in resistance. His arms insisted she sit right next to him.
"Round Rock."
"What for?"
"You are a spoiled human, you ask too many questions."
"I'm sorry, but I don't make a habit of doing favors when I'm not aware of the situation."
"And neither am I. You haven't exactly been forthcoming in your plan of action." Eric added.
Layla looked over to him. Something about his blood made her uneasy. She really didn't like being this connected. Whatever seemed to affect Eric affected her. She wondered if it was the same with him.
"The two of you need to bare witness to the Queen what happened to Batista."
"The…Queen!?" Layla started. "Batista is married?"
"Yes. Queen Bianca Solis Nunez is the ipso facto leader in Batista's absence."
Eric laughed. "She is spoiled and tactless I've heard." He informed Layla. "More of a face than an actual leader."
Without warning, Andres slammed on the brakes. He turned to the backseat and extended his fangs.
"You will not speak of the Queen in such a manner." Andres glared angrily toward Eric.
"She is not my Queen. I am just repeating what I heard."
"Whoever spoke of this was a liar. Take it back!"
Eric's suspicion towards Andres was growing. Layla felt tension as well. Something was going on.
"Now I'm convinced. You're either incredibly naïve, or you're in love with her." Layla decided.
"Stupid human. You never hold your tongue." Andres lunged towards Layla. Layla responded by immediately pushing him back. But she didn't have to push that hard. Eric had done most of the work.
"Do not touch her." Eric warned as he grabbed Layla's hand and pulled them out of the car.
"We have no reason to stay." Eric concluded. Layla couldn't agree anymore. She was more than ready to get the hell out of there.
They only made it a few steps before Andres was in pursuit. His speed accelerated but it didn't stop from missing Layla's fist. He snarled as her blow halted his attack. He rubbed his nose in pain. Blood trickled out of it, but quickly dried and the wound disappeared. Andres struck Layla across the face. Layla turned and tightened her cheek in pain. Though his force was more devastating than she could of anticipated. A vampire slap was nothing like a human slap.
"I would have loved to see Batista suck you dry like he originally intended. Then I wouldn't have to deal with you now. You don't know your place."
She rolled her eyes. People and vampires alike had been telling Layla her whole life that she needs to "know her place." In her experience, they were just uncomfortable in being called out on their own lies or shortcomings. Comments like that she just shrugged off.
Eric had a different reaction.
Anger had risen within him. He swiftly had Andres pinned to the asphalt of the highway. He sunk his fangs into his neck. But it wasn't a clean bite. Layla stretched her lips in a grossed out look as Eric began to feed.
"Eric…!"
Eric quickly pulled his head up. He licked the blood from his lips and used his hand to wipe his chin. The other he used almost effortlessly to keep Andres pinned to the ground.
He looked down towards Andres in bemusement.
"Speaking of Batista…" Eric spoke in a low tone. As if he were trying to piece something together.
"Most of this blood is not yours. You have fed recently."
It wasn't until now Layla realized Andres wasn't as near death as she thought. Eric was just that much stronger than Andres. Andres was actually fighting Eric to get up.
"Speak." Eric commanded.
"Of course I have. I was just in battle."
"The vampire's blood you have is much older than you."
Layla squinted her brow. "You've fed from Batista?"
"Nonsense." Andres insisted.
Eric turned his attention to Layla. "Layla, how is your wound? Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Brilliant, because I could use your help."
"My…special help?" Layla thought they were on the same page. He wanted her to glamour Andres.
"That's right dearest."
Andres seemed on the same page as well because he began to struggle even more as Layla walked toward him and knelt down.
"What? Stop this! She cannot glamour me!"
"Oh get off it!" Layla rebuffed. "You fed during battle?" She asked as her starting question.
Andres would not look over to her eyes.
"You're being disrespectful to my Layla." Eric warned. But Andres held his head to the side.
"Turn your head or I'll turn it for you." He warned.
Andres turned his head but closed his eyes.
Layla didn't enjoy humiliating him like this. And to her relief Eric didn't seem to be enjoying it either. But both knew it had to be done.
Layla closed her eyes. Maybe she could glamour him with her voice.
"Andres look at me." She spoke in a calm, collected voice. With all her might she focused on the task of getting Andres' attention. She slowly opened her eyes. Andres was looking up at her. She nodded coolly in triumph.
"Andres, who did you feed from?"
"Master." He immediately responded.
Layla and Eric exchanged quick glances.
"You mean Batista when you say Master?"
"Yes."
"Is Batista dead?"
"No."
"Damn." Both Eric and Layla spoke simultaneously. Though Eric seemed surprised by her response. He grinned with sheer delight, basking in that unmistakable male triumph. She hadn't realized he'd felt threatened by Batista.
"Well…where is the King Andres?"
"I don't know."
"Don't lie…" Eric spoke with condescending tone.
"Where is Batista?" Layla repeated.
"During battle, when she was holding him down, as I fed, he overpowered us and escaped."
"She…Who is "she"?"
"Bianca." Eric concluded.
Layla nodded and focused her attention to Eric. "I thought a maker's child couldn't betray their master…"
"They can't. Unless Batista had released him. Andres must have been at Batista's side by choice."
"Then I definitely don't get why he would betray him. If he was there on his own free will, why wouldn't he just walk away."
"Well I'm sure he can shed some light on it." Eric and Layla looked back down towards Andres.
"Were you released from your Maker?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you betray him?" Layla asked.
Before he could answer, Eric swooped Layla up and hurried her back to the car.
"Eric, what the…?"
"They're coming."
"Who?"
"The vampires who attacked at the club. Stay here…and for once just do as I say." He pleaded and shut the driver's door where he had placed her. He swiftly went back to stand in front of Andres.
In a blur, there were seven or eight vampires that approached him. Six. Layla finally counted.
The spots their bodies stood formed a sort of pyramid. In the back there were four seemingly alike males. They all had short brown hair with variations of darkness to their skin. All seemed to have bulging biceps and placid looks on their faces. Then there were two very different looking vampires. One was a woman who must have been turned some time during her forties. But here face was the only part of her body who looked aged. Her body was freakishly muscular as if she were some kind of body builder. Standing next to her was a man with a buzzed haircut. His hair was a dirty blonde. He didn't have much height over the woman standing next to him. He looked practically anorexic compared to her wearing a collared shirt and khakis while she wore what looked like a tracksuit. But really he just looked like an everyday normal guy.
At the head of all them was a woman with short cinnamon colored hair. Her petite frame was complimented with her skin tight red dress. She surveyed the situation carefully with one perfectly manicured hand on her hip. This must be Bianca…Layla decided.
Eric stood calm with his arms hanging at his side. He seemed unfazed by her synchronized entourage.
Layla cracked the window to listen.
"Identify yourself. Why do you quarrel with my Andres?"
Eric's eyebrows rose in surprise. The way she phrased "my Andres." They must be a couple.
"I am Leif. And I had no quarrel until I was provoked." Eric stated ambiguously.
Layla looked to Andres who still seemed to be glamoured. Woops.
"Andres." Bianca called. But Andres did not budge from his lying down position.
"Why does he act like this?" Bianca directed to Eric.
Eric looked to Andres and seemed equally puzzled.
"I do not know." He spoke the truth. He'd never known a glamour to last after the one who glamoured broke their attention.
"You will come with us. You will explain why he acts this way or I will be forced to…."
"He's under a spell." Layla spoke as she stepped out of the car.
Eric looked at her in hopelessness. Why had she not listened to him? He simply shook his head. She was just as stubborn as he.
Bianca was startled with her presence. The two vampires that stood directly behind her advanced towards Layla. Eric halted their motion as he stepped in front of her. He challenged them both by extending his fangs.
"Witch…" Bianca started. "What is your name?"
Witch? Layla cocked her head in confusion… Well, as long as she didn't realize who she really was…might as well make up a fake name….
But Layla could think of nothing.
"My name is…Sarah."
"Sarah, Sarah who?"
"Palin." Shoot.
Eric tried not to grin.
"Witch Sarah Palin; Why have you cast a spell on Andres?"
Layla was stifled in disbelief. Guess Bianca wasn't one to follow human politics…. Thank God.
"We were just leaving this club downtown, when this crazy fight broke out. We were escorted out by security and shoved into this vampire's car!" Layla pointed towards Andres. Then she looked towards Eric.
"This human and I are visiting from Colorado. What she says is true. As we were leaving, we were escorted to his car. He said he would not release us until we were farther down the road….After ten miles, the witch began to panic. So she cast a spell on him to let us go." Eric spoke in the most neutral of accents.
"You are an old vampire. Older than myself…why did you not…"
"I would of overpowered him but I have not cleared my visit with the King as of yet. I want no quarrel in his territory."
Bianca nodded as if his excuse was sufficient. She then glanced towards Layla. "She's your human?"
"It's not common for a vampire to take up with a witch." The blonde haired man suggested. He seemed to be Bianca's second.
Eric was to reluctant to reveal such. If he revealed she was 'his' would only endanger her further.
"Actually, I owe this witch a great debt."
Layla looked towards him with almost surprise.
"And what might that debt be?" Bianca asked. Glancing back and forth between the two. She seemed to believe their story. Especially since Andres couldn't challenge it.
"She saved my life. So I am paying that debt off."
"How?" The muscular woman asked.
"By being her sex slave."
This caught everyone off guard. Especially Layla.
"She is addicted to my body…" Eric continued on. "So I will repay my debt by having sex with her in romantic destinations for the next fortnight."
Layla closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, Bianca was right in front of her.
"Tell me witch, is everything he has said to us true?" She attempted to glamour Layla.
"Yes, it is."
"And the two of you are visiting from Colorado?"
"Yes, we are." Layla tried to speak in the best hypnotic type voice she could muster.
"And you are addicted to his body? He will repay his debt by having sex with you?"
"I am addicted to his body." Layla spoke in a controlled tone. Inside she was seething.
Bianca nodded. She seemed to be satisfied with Layla's answers. Layla pretended to be "released" from the glamour. She shook her head.
"You may go, but not before you remove the spell on Andres."
A surge of panic rose in Layla. Eric must have realized because he quickly was standing by her.
"I…I'm really sorry but it's not as simple as all that."
"You are not a competent enough witch to remove your own spell?"
"It's not that, it's just that it's just a temporary spell. So it can't be removed. It simply…wears off." Layla knew nothing of witchcraft. She could only pray Bianca knew less.
"Is that so?" Bianca eyed suspiciously.
"Yes, that is so."
"We must take one of you with us until the spell wears off." Bianca commanded. "Preferably the human. It's not every day a witch cast such a spell on a vampire." Bianca gave Layla one of those come hither looks. Layla rubbed her face in attempt to ignore her.
"No." Eric started.
Bianca looked towards him with surprise. "No?…That is not an option Leif."
The tension seemed to be rising. The four men from Bianca's entourage began scooting in closer. She looked to her female companion. They seemed to be silently communicating.
"Then we will take you Leif." The muscular woman gestured towards Eric.
Eric didn't want to go with them. But he could use to time to find out what Bianca was up to exactly.
"Alright." Eric nodded.
Layla could sense something was off. They had no leverage in the situation.
"What is my assurance that Leif will not be harmed?" She quickly chimed in.
Eric grinned. Her cunning never ceased to amaze him.
Bianca laughed. "You are outnumbered witch. You may not ask such questions."
"Look, if you're taking Leif, I can ask whatever the hell I want."
Bianca's shook her head. She told her comrades in Spanish "it's not our fault she loves vampire sex." They all shared a laugh.
"I do enjoy the sex, but I also enjoy the company…."
Bianca's smile turned to surprise. "You speak Spanish?"
"Look. You're taking the vampire that I was with. I don't know exactly why you're taking him. So Andres will be my insurance you will do Leif no harm. And I will return him to you when his glamour wears off."
From the look on her face, Bianca was not used to having to negotiate anything. She seemed like the sort of woman who always got her way.
"And what is my assurance you will not harm Andres?"
"As she said…I will go along with you, only if Andres goes with her." Eric spoke in an assured tone.
For a vampire, Bianca didn't seem to quick witted. But Layla learned never to underestimate the undead. But this has to be the strangest situation. One thing was for sure; Andres must have been setting them up for something. And before she could let him go, she had to find out what it was for both her and Eric's sake. Fortunately Bianca obviously didn't know who they were. And Andres' mind was stuck in a state of void purgatory. And neither Layla nor Eric could figure out why he was still like that.
"How long will it take for this spell to wear off?"
Layla shrugged.
Bianca continued to stare. That wasn't the answer she was looking for.
"We will meet again in two nights." Eric suggested.
Layla nodded. "The spell will have surely worn off by then." She tried to speak in the most innocent of tones. She called Andres to the car. Andres immediately complied and got in the passenger's side. Layla got in the driver's seat. Eric went over and planted a deliberate kiss on Layla's lips.
"Don't forget to put Pam in your pot of boiling trouble before you start cooking." Eric winked as if he were joking. But he was really telling Layla to call Pam.
"I won't." Layla replied as she smoothly drove off. She watched as Eric's tall figure stood still in the rearview mirror, watching her drive away.
As he faded out of sight, she looked to the vampire-vegetable to her right. Andres was staring blankly at the dashboard. Layla sighed in hopelessness.
….