AN: I've reworked the Caleb storyline many times. After writing this chapter, I'll have to do it again. The beginning of the chapter was written purely for me. More questions will be answered later, but I really needed to write what happened when Caleb woke up. It might be a bit confusing, but it'll work out eventually, I just have to get all the details together.

Thanks for the reviews and the support! I'm not sure if I like the ending of this chapter, but here it is!

All in good time...

Chapter 38: So Sweet to Lose a Friend

Layla's POV

Dylan was biting his nails. His leg was bouncing up and down, a bundle of nerves. He'd been telling me off for hours. I was irritated by his reaction this morning. I didn't need him to tell me I was in trouble. I was already freaked out without him jiggling about beside me. The sun was in its final moments before it officially set. We were sitting in my lounge, waiting for Caleb. I looked out my square window that had a little bench like in Peter Pan and watched the sun disappear from view. We all had a moment of inhaling sharply, waiting for what was to come. Dave and Matt stood close to me, although, they should've been the ones who need protecting at that moment.

Caleb walked into my suite. He glanced at all of us, anxious, fearful and waiting. His guard halted outside my room, as he shut the door from them. He regarded me curiously.

"My love, what is going on?" he asked me directly. I felt my mouth go dry as I tried to think of something to say. His cool grace was hovering on the edge of irrational rage that would rip apart everyone in this room. Right away, he knew something had gone wrong, and he remained calm only because I seemed to be unharmed.

"I think Dylan is making the situation far worse than it was," Dave spoke up for me.

Caleb turned his head from me to my guard. "I didn't address you. Layla..." His quiet approach was unnerving, my stomach was twisting into knots and my heart was doing somersaults in my chest. "My pet, I do not have all night."

I shuddered, bracing myself. "I went to the library early this morning," I said. His eyes flickered but he didn't look mad yet. "I thought everyone would be asleep and I guess I lost track of time -"

"Could your guards not keep time for you?" he looked dangerously at Matt and Dave.

I always had to defend my guards. They were like big brothers to me and protected me from everyone, including Caleb, whenever they could. "No, they let me read. I thought you made that library for me, so why can't I enjoy it?" I tested.

"I told you not this week," his voice was clipped, lowering into a dangerous zone. "If a vampire smells you in any place in this house, they will know I'm keeping fairy. Regardless, I don't have to explain myself to you, despite the fact that I have already given you this courtesy before my guests arrived."

My breathing was laboured, I nodded my head.

"Is that all?" Caleb looked sharply at my guards and then at Dylan. "What else happened?" he asked his trusty assistant. I felt the ripple of impatience glide through the air.

"Sookie Stackhouse met her," Dylan said it as if it were one word, just getting all that information out there.

"What?" he asked, his tone edged, his anger nearly causing me to pass out. I leaned back into the seat, my body coiled with tension.

"I wasn't supposed to see to her until three, and then one of the maids said she found her wandering the halls. And then I saw her guards outside of the library and I knew Layla was in there and I stopped them. I sent Layla up here, where she's been all day."

"Did you talk to her?" his voice was raising, he snapped his eyes to me. I nodded. Suddenly he was sitting next to me on the couch and then I was in his arms, cradled against his chest. It wasn't a nice movement, it was hard, and threatening. "What did you two say?"

"She thinks you want her," I said, my mouth right to his neck.

"Hmph," he said. "Does she know your fairy?"

"I think she could sense it, she didn't need me to tell her."

"Did you tell her how much fairy you are?"

I gripped his shirt in my hand, wincing. "Yes." I was alone on the couch, he slipped from under me and was pacing in a rage, trying to reign it in.

"She's going to tell Northman," he growled. He zipped and was right in front of Dave and Matt who were much taller than him. "Where the fuck were you two?"

"We apprehended Miss Stackhouse," muttered Matt. I closed my eyes not wanting to watch.

I heard a snap and a hiss of pain. I heard another crack and a groan followed by a thud. "I normally," Caleb spoke, carefully walking around the couch toward me, "wouldn't punish you in front of Layla, but your insolence required it. You're job is to protect her, not be her friend. I gave you specific instructions for this week. Your games are over, you two are dismissed and I will find new, more competent Weres for my little one."

I gritted my teeth. "Please," I said, looking up at Caleb. "Don't take them away from me. They've been with me for two years and their better than any of the other guards you've given me. They treat me nicely."

"Their job isn't to do so."

"Would you rather they treat me badly?"

"Their job is to protect you. They should be strong and silent, with no additional commentary on my relationship with you."

"It's hard not to comment on," I dared. Immediately after I said it, I wanted to take it back. Caleb looked ready to strangle me. "Are you going to replace me with Sookie?"

"Enough, Layla."

"Are you going to take her away from her home? Are you going to do the same thing with me, and strike a deal with her vampire?"

Caleb smiled. "You're the only fairy I want. Why would I trade down? For half the blood to an eighth of the blood?"

"She's prettier," I said.

"She is not," Caleb shrugged indifferently. "I hold no one's value above yours." I eyed him suspiciously.

"What are you going to do now?"

He had made his decision the moment he broke my Weres bones. He was already about twelve steps ahead of every vampire in this mansion. "You will see someday," he said. "Now, come with me." He pulled me off the couch, and looked back at Dylan. "Escort them out."

"No, wait!" I snapped, struggling in his grasp.

"Shh," Caleb said, as soothingly as a man like he could be.

"I want them to stay," I muttered, feeling my throat close up and I was ready to start the tears. "They're my family."

Caleb closed me into my bedroom, and set me on my bed. "Feed me," he said, taking off his silk shirt, and pants. I stared at his body briefly; I was too upset to take it in.

"Caleb," my voice broke, and tears fell down my cheeks. "Please, I love them."

His expression turned hard, his naturally furrowed brow, now made him look menacing and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he'd be ready to snap my neck. "Do you not love me more?" he asked.

"Yes, but their my family."

"You don't have a family anymore."

I began to cry, putting my head down in my hand, earnestly letting out my tears. He touched my shoulders, briefly before he began to shed my clothes from my body. I still cried, my face red, my body shaking. "Don't, please," I said to him repeatedly, my mantra for this round of crying.

"Layla," he sighed, pulling me into his arms, off the bed. I wrapped my legs around his narrow waist, his shoulders broad and muscled, I held onto them, burying my face into his neck.

"Please," I said, kissing his skin. "Please," I said again kissing his jaw. "You're making me sad," I said to him before kissing his lips. He kissed me back, and I was digging my nails into his skin, before I pulled my mouth away from his, kissing his brows. "Do this for me."

His jaw was hard, his expression full of his fury. "I will give them one more chance," he growled.

I tried not to smile, that would make him crack. Instead, I pulled his shoulders toward the bed, to tell him to put me down. I laid on the bed and turned my neck to the side, while he loomed over me, and plunged his fangs into my skin. My fairy blood poured down his throat and into his system, always leading him into a frenzy, especially when he was in a bad mood – he would be rough at first, and then repent by going slow for my young, feeble body.

Sookie's POV

I was wearing a strapless dress with an empire waist. The bodice was white and the skirt was a deep blue, I wore the same black heels as the night before. I let my hair down, that was now too short for Eric's liking, and it fell just past my shoulders. I sighed and tried to do something interesting with it. Instead I pinned half of it up and did my make-up more light this evening. I looked in the mirror one last time before exiting to the sitting area to greet him.

I was surprised to see Eric's suit was navy blue tonight, almost the same colour as my dress. "Are we going to clash? I can change," I said, frowning.

He laughed and brought me in his arms, kissing me gently on the lips. I'm sure it was easy for him to ignore his guard, but I couldn't, they were all staring. "You look delicious," he licked his lips and I shook my head at his lack of subtlety.

"Anything special happening tonight?" I asked him.

He appraised me. "Tonight is the big, official orgy."

"Oh great, you should really warn me before all of this. Otherwise I'd of headed straight down there in my pyjamas."

He flicked his wrist, flippant. "Unnecessary."

"Do you have a robe? You could be like Hugh Hefner; you're certainly around the same age." His guards looked absolutely floored by the way I was talking to their king. Eric laughed, so they assumed it was okay, but they sure didn't look understanding.

We made our way downstairs, this time I paid close attention to the turns we made, trying to sear them into my memory. We were down the front stairs again, people were heading outside tonight, as the big front doors were pushed open, to greet everyone.

We passed Mila who was talking to several formal looking vampires, "Nobodies been able to reach Caleb. He's still holed up in that room of his, doing God knows what. He's not a very good host, but I'll shape him up once I'm his queen," she laughed, and they joined her. It seemed rather fake. When we passed by, she winked at Eric.

Bitch.

"That's good that he's not down here, right?" I whispered to Eric.

"It might not be good for your fairy friend," Eric said it in one low breath. I frowned glancing up the stairs to where I remembered seeing the guards outside her room.

Apparently it would have been unnecessary to dress in lounging clothing, everyone was just as dressed to the nines as the previous night. I saw a male vampire drinking the blood of a human man, who's lusty, dirty thoughts caused me to blush, in the corner, groaning. I stopped and forced Eric's attention to me.

"I don't want to go in there," I said. The lighting looked lower, more sensual, in the hall. The music was relaxing in a way that panties would be urged to drop.

He kissed the top of my head. "You don't have to do anything you don't want."

"I don't want to do anything," I said. He searched my eyes for a moment before nodding.

"I'll make sure nothing happens." I let out a squeak of fear as we delved into the darkened room, bombarded with the smell of sex, screams, moans and groans. "This is classier than the one I took you to, I'll give you that."

Eric chuckled and brought my hand that was laced through his arm up to his lips, where he kissed it, looking me in the eye. I felt better. Without a doubt, I was going to hang onto my vampire for dear life. My vampire? Here we go again. I was already back to thinking of Eric and me as together again. Maybe we were...

I kept my eyes on Eric's hand clasped with mine, trying not look around too much at the different acts being performed around us. We edged through people, and I caught glimpses of naked flesh from the corner of my eye. Ugh this was so –

"Eric Northman, you are looking incandescent as ever," said a voice. I looked up and saw a man around my height without my current heels on. He had slicked back, black hair and wily eyes. He must have been in his late forties when he was turned, his accent was heavy and I couldn't decide which Asian country he originated from.

"Thank you, Minh, this is my wife Sookie Stackhouse," he started.

"Wife?!" Minh looked beyond astonished, his eyes were wide, his mouth hung open. "When on Earth did this happen?" his manners were that similar to old British society.

"Sookie," Eric continued, "this is Minh, King of Alaska."

I bowed my head, "It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." Man, I was getting good at this, if I do say so myself. It was like a well rehearsed routine. I was growing used to behaving decently to royalty. Maybe it was because Eric was now in the same league, I felt it would be just as much disrespect to him.

Minh still looked shocked, he couldn't even address me. "I am, beyond words, Eric. I never thought I'd see you...settle."

"It is not settling," Eric said firmly. "It is devotion."

Minh's hand fluttered to his dead heart. "I am quite the romantic," he said, dazed. "If I had known you were capable of commitment I would have impressed myself upon you centuries ago, Eric."

Eric smiled pleasantly. "I would have left you for Sookie, eventually, I'm afraid."

"Oh!" Minh said, breaking into peels of delighted laughter. I felt as if I should join too and smiled brightly, humouring the small man. "What a charm."

I was incredibly amused by this vampire. I wanted to laugh at the words escaping his lips.

"So, tell me Miss Stackhouse, how did you two meet?" he looked riveted as he stepped forward, giving me his undivided attention.

"Oh, well," I realized quickly that Minh was probably one for dramatics. "I went to Fangtasia."

"You're bar? I've heard about its class, Eric, I'd love to see it sometime!"

"I'd be honoured."

"Oh, do go on, Miss Stackhouse, give me details!" He gestured to a seat that had just been vacated by two women who were willing to pursue further away from the hall. I sat down hesitantly by Eric who wrapped his arm around my waist. Who knows what hell happened on theses couches? Ew.

"Well," I said slowly. "My boyfriend at the time took me to Fangtasia, he was the first vampire I met."

"You're boyfriend?" Minh gasped. "Eric, did you steal her from another vampire? How delicious," his nose scrunched up in glee.

"Yeah, well," I said. "He sorta did," I winked at Eric, who looked happy. I couldn't say it any other way than he was just...happy. My heart leapt and I smiled just because of him. "I was minding my own business, when I noticed Eric, he was eyeing me greatly and it was upsetting my boyfriend. When we finally met later on that night, Eric asked Bill, my boyfriend, if I was his. At the time, I was, and I think Eric only saw it as a slight detour to winning my affections. Although, in the beginning he was just interested in fucking me and I wasn't really interested at all." I mean he was good looking, but I couldn't imagine me and Eric together at all after our first meeting.

Minh gasped. "When did that change?" his eyes wide with anticipation at what I could possibly say next. Eric kissed my temple and I quivered in his hold.

"Um probably...I don't know for him, but for me it was when Eric hired me out to Dallas." I remembered what he had said last night.

"Oh, are you the telepath?" Minh interrupted. "No, sorry, do go on!"

"Well, Eric took a bullet for me."

"A bullet?"

I wanted to laugh. "A silver one," I said, really enjoying the storytelling time. It was odd that we were engaging in this conversation amongst an orgy, but I preferred it this way. "He tricked me into sucking it out of his chest. My boyfriend had left to attack the men who opened fire at us, and Eric saved me, and told me if I didn't suck the bullet out it would be stuck under his skin forever."

"Oh, Eric, you are bad, manipulating a human girl like that," Minh squealed.

"Well, once I got it out, he kissed me and I kept the bullet."

Minh sighed, blissfully. He opened his mouth to ask me another question when someone cleared their throat. We looked up to see a vampire dressed in a customary black suit.

"Mr. Northman, the King of California, Oregon and Washington, wishes to see you," the vampire spoke definitively.

I squeezed Eric's thigh, where my hand was resting. Eric nodded and kissed my forehead before standing up, he gestured to his guard and two of them stayed behind with me. I turned back to the King of Alaska who was looking after Eric longingly.

"I've never seen a vampire so in love," said Minh. I tried to hold off a smile, but couldn't help it. I believed in Eric's love for me, now more than ever. I missed him badly, and he'd been gone for about five seconds. "Will you tell me more?"

I told him the rest of my story with Eric, leaving out our recent break-up. I wasn't as into relaying it as when he was beside me but I tried to be as animated as possible. I was worried about what Caleb had called Eric for and that was eating up my enthusiasm to tell a story. Minh was making me laugh and distracting me well enough, until Mila showed up.

"Well, Miss Stackhouse. Minh," she nodded at the King of Alaska who looked upset at her walking in halfway through his joke.

"Mila, best wishes on your upcoming nuptials," Minh said politely.

Mila sat next to him, her eyes on me. "I've heard about the little problem you caused this morning, Miss Stackhouse."

I looked at Eric's guard, who were stiff, looking ready to protect me. Aw jeez. "There was a problem?" I asked, flashing her my crazy grin.

"Oh yes. I wouldn't play dumb, either. Caleb is very upset and is talking with Eric as we speak," she sneered.

"Oh, goodness!" Minh said. "What happened?"

"Minh," Mila said loudly. "I heard Russell is dying to see you." Russell Edgington was here? Minh looked disgruntled. He flashed me an apologetic smile.

"I'd love to see you again, Miss Stackhouse," he said, bowing to me. I stood up quickly and returned a curtsey.

"I would too, your highness," I said. He walked off and I was regretful. I wished he had stayed. I looked back at Mila thinking of ways I could get out of this conversation. I sat down. If she said something wrongly than Caleb would be probably very upset if Layla was revealed to a room full of vampires. I wondered how Mila had known about the half-fairy girl. If Caleb was so secretive about her, I would expect he'd keep the girl away from his new queen, in case she would demand Layla be shared. Maybe he was fine with that, but if he kept her locked up, clearly he wasn't okay with that idea.

"From what I've heard about you, you do nothing but fan the flames," she smirked. Oh, what a bitch. I held my tongue.

"Well, ya'll are so secretive it's hard to know what I can do and what I can't. I meant no offense to Caleb," I said, emphasizing on my Southern charm. "It was an accident."

"Hmm, I think you know exactly what you are doing," Mila said, arching a brow. "You're rather manipulative for a human, aren't you?"

"I don't think so. I'm just a girl," I shrugged, innocently. She did not look pleased with my attitude.

"It's funny you should call yourself a girl," Mila's lip curled. "Eric has only ever been attracted to women." Ah, so she was trying to play to my feminist side?

"Oh, I know," I said smiling kindly. "He shows me every night." I mean, that wasn't a complete lie, just lately it was stretching the truth.

Her nostrils flared. "You're sweet." Speaking of recalling the night I met Eric, he said something very similar to me.

"Not really," I grinned.

Mila was about to say more when she looked up. "Eric, all's well?" I looked behind me to see my vampire, staring harshly at the Queen of British Columbia and Yukon.

Caleb sidled up to Eric, and I felt fear. "A misunderstanding," Caleb said strongly. "No need to worry, my dear. Shall we partake in these delights?" Mila stood to her full height, which was close to Caleb's and they went to the dance floor. Caleb just about ignored me, didn't he? I guess his plan of seduction, if that's what it was, had been halted. I looked up questioningly at Eric.

Eric took his seat next to me and put his arm instantly around me. "Is everything okay?"

Eric looked over his shoulder. "It appears to be," he said, his tone distant, his brain working everything out. I had complete faith in Eric's intelligence, for he was the smartest person I knew.

"Really?" I asked, doubtful.

"Yes," he looked back at me and pushed my chin up so he could attack my lips with his. I gasped in surprise, while he slipped his tongue past my lips. My arms immediately wound around his neck and twisted into his hair, bringing him closer to me. He bumped me up onto his lap, embracing me passionately in the middle of an orgy. I heard groans from others and realized how in poor taste this was. We didn't have to put up a show like the last orgy. I broke away from him and he groaned, pressing his mouth to my neck placed teasing kisses and small nips all over my skin.

"Eric, can we go back to the room?" I asked him.

He pulled away and searched my face. I think he was trying to figure out if he was going to get laid tonight. I honestly didn't know. I wanted to, but it didn't feel like the best moment. Maybe I was leading him on, I wasn't sure. I'd never done this with Eric before. It was always just there, our relationship, we never had to work on it.

He nodded slowly and we skipped out on the second party, early again. When we got back to our room, I kicked off my shoes and so did Eric. I turned to him and he stepped into my arms kissing me. I moaned into his mouth, as his hand was in my hair pulling me up. I should have kept my heels on but they were bothering me. He lifted me and brought us into the room with the bed, laying me down on top of it. I loved the feeling of his weight on me again. I groaned and pushed my pelvis up to his, where I felt him harden almost instantly.

"Eric," I uttered against his mouth, kissing him feverishly. I wrapped a leg around his waist, and his hands slipped under my body, lifting it to press flush against his. We still had all these clothes on, but I had to admit, I wasn't ready for it. I wanted him so bad, but there was something stopping me, as I let my leg fall to the side. "Okay, stop." I said, once my lips were free.

He craned his neck away from my face staring at me, confused. "What is it?" he asked.

"Not now," I breathed, heavily.

"Not now?"

"Yeah," I said.

He rolled off me and sat on the edge of the bed. I brought myself up and shifted down the mattress to where he was. I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"The last time we had sex," I explained. "Didn't go the way, it should've."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "How should it have gone?"

"It shouldn't have been you showing up and us not talking. I don't think, we've given each other enough time yet," I caught his expression. "Alright, I haven't had enough time yet."

"It's barely one," he said slowly, mentioning the fact that he had about five more hours until he would be dead for the day. "You want to talk some more?"

I shook my head. "I don't wanna play around with words...I just wanna lay with you," I said slowly, grabbing his blue suit jacket and pushing it off his shoulders. He watched me toss it onto the ground. It was probably expensive and deserved proper care, I realized wincing. I unbuttoned a few of his buttons and then pulled away from him, backing further up the bed, so that my head was on the pillows. Eric crawled toward me and relaxed onto the pillow by my head. We stared at each other for a moment.

I snuggled closer and rested my head in the crook of his neck, one leg draped over his legs and my arm on his chest. He wrapped an arm around me and hugged me to his side. He kissed the top of my head.

"I love you," he said, softly.

I smiled, and nuzzled my nose into his shirt. Eric Northman loved me. I looked up at him and his sapphire eyes shined at me. I stretched forward and kissed him lightly. "I love you too."

I fell asleep with him rubbing soothing circles into my back, cozy with my vampire.

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