Layla struggled in vain against Coot who was hauling her through the front door of Russell Edgington's mansion. Russell himself had Sookie and some other jerk had Bill. Layla hadn't even seen what had happened to Alcide. As she walked in she spotted familiar faces that shocked her. Lorena was descending the staircase and Eric, her Eric, was walking out into the hall to see what all the commotion was. Coot tossed Layla onto the floor and she skidded to a spot by Eric's feet and took the opportunity to glare up at him. It wasn't that she had expected him to save her, only...well Bill had obviously risked his life to warn Sookie...Eric couldn't even answer his fucking phone when she needed him.
"Why? What's happened?" Lorena was asking Russell, and Layla realized if she wanted to live she'd better start paying attention to what the fuck was going on.
"He's been hiding something very interesting from us all." Russell said. Bill suddenly broke off a piece of the railing and staked the Vampire who had hauled him in before jumping onto Russell's shoulders, preparing to stake the King of Mississippi. Russell shook him off like a fly and sent him slamming into the ceiling. A few people gasped but Russell just laughed.
"Are you serious? I am almost 3,000 years old." Russell was saying. Layla glanced up at Eric, whose fangs were out. He glanced down at her, worry clear in his eyes and stepped farther into the room, in front of her...shielding her, or so she thought for a whole two seconds. Sookie ran to go to Bill and Eric appeared in front of her in an instant.
"Eric, get her out of here." Bill pleaded. Eric grabbed Sookie by the top of her arm and brought her back to Russell.
"I wouldn't let go of this if I were you. I don't know what it is but I know it's valuable." Eric said smoothly. Layla's jaw dropped. What the fuck was going on?
"Eric, what the fuck?" Layla asked from where she now stood, having pulled herself up and trying to maintain as much dignity as she could, seeing as was the only one looking like they'd just rolled out of bed.
"I've not had the pleasure of tasting it, but, all my instincts say it will be quite extraordinary." Eric said.
"You sonofabitch." Layla breathed softly, knowing her heard her full well.
"I will never ever forgive you for this." Sookie hissed.
"Aw, it thinks we're equals." he aid with a dazzling smile to Russell. Layla stared in horror. What the hell was going on?
"Oh, but it's wrong isn't it?"
"Oh, indeed." Eric confirmed and the two laughed quietly.
"Do you care nothing about our home?" asked an olive skinned vampire with inky black hair.
"Talbot, not now." Russell said.
"When?" Talbot screamed, losing his temper. Obviously the 'little woman' of the house was pissed. He stalked upstairs muttering in a different language.
"What are you gonna do with our Mr. Compton, if I may ask?" Lorena asked bitterly.
"Marco, Klaus, take Mr. Compton to the slave quarters. Then my dear," Russell said, turning back to Lorena. "You will kill him."
"NO!" Sookie screamed
"But, Rus-" Lorena tried.
"Do not defy me! I am your King!" Russell screamed. Layla thought he sounded like a five-year old throwing a tantrum.
"Your majesty." she said, bowing her head.
"Take Miss Stackhouse into the library, Eric. I have a few questions for her after I repair the state of my marriage." Russell paused on the stair and finally noticed Layla.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Layla Dahlin." Layla said stiffly.
"She is mine." Eric said quietly. Russell suddenly looked skeptical and turned his glare to Eric.
"A human?"
"A halfling, your majesty. A child of my own maker. She was dear to him." Eric said quietly, giving the King big doe eyes. Layla wanted to puke. Russell sighed.
"I do not share your maker's feelings towards humans but I can appreciate your loyalty to him and his wishes. She is yours?" he asked.
"Yes, sir." Eric said with a small nod. Russell shrugged.
"Then she's your problem." Russell said, continuing up the stairs.
"Bill, I will get your out of here." Sookie said.
"Eric, save her, I beg you!" Bill called out as they dragged him out the door. Sookie took a step towards Lorena.
"If you do kill him, I will kill you." she said. Lorena's fangs popped out and she took a step towards Sookie.
"Oh, please, please try. Without that sanctimonious little prick Godric to save you," Eric and Layla stepped forward at that. "I would love to just rip you open and wear your ribcage as a hat."
Without another word the cold bitch strode out the doors and went to follow, and presumably kill, Bill Compton. Layla stepped forward and stood closer to Eric and Sookie.
"Please tell me you were just doing that for the King's benefit." Layla said quietly to him.
"I don't think anyone plays the King of Mississippi and gets away with it." Eric responded. Layla frowned.
"That doesn't answer my question, Eric." she growled.
"I certainly have no intentions of trying." Eric said grabbing both woman be the shoulders and steering them towards the library.
"Why are you even here?" Layla asked.
"I thought you had other things to deal with." Sookie added bitterly.
"I do and I need to think, so please don't take this the wrong way Sookie, but shut up. You, you're with me." Eric said, pulling Layla a bit closer to him.
"So all that stuff about caring about me? That was all just crap?" Sookie asked, taking a seat in one of the library chairs.
"I never said I cared about you." Eric said as he paced. "Do you mind? I'm trying to think here."
"I thought her life was too valuable to throw away?" Layla asked hollowly.
"She is valuable, that's very clear. I'm just not sure way." Eric said.
"What happened to it being all about Sookie? Keeping her safe. Getting her to drink your blood. Bending over backwards to help her cause she means oh so much to you-" Layla mocked. Eric swooped down until he was inches from Layla's face.
"Sookie means nothing to me. Nothing!" he said angrily, then leaned closer into her ear. "I'm very close to getting something I've wanted since I was still human. Neither of you better get in my way."
"I hate your fucking guts, Eric Northman. I promise, I will pay you back for this." Sookie said angrily.
"How am I the calm one?" Layla exclaimed as Eric returned to his pacing. Russell came in fixing his belt.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. A husband's work is never done." Russell said. Layla's blood ran a little cold as she watched Eric turn around with an endearing and perfect smile pasted on his angelic face. "Leave us."
"As you wish." Eric said, grabbing Layla by the arm and taking her with him as he left the room.
"This is one dangerous game you're playing, Northman." Layla said so softly it was barely a whisper as they walked down the hall.
"You don't even know what the game is, little girl." Eric hissed. Layla glared up and tugged on the sleeve of his sweater to get him to look at her.
"You have revenge oozing out of your pores. Your family, right? Don't bother answering I know it is. I've been feeling crazy and anxious for days, but now, being this close to you it's easy to pinpoint what I feel...what you feel." Layla admitted. Eric turned to face her completely.
"And what exactly do you think I feel?" he asked. Layla raised a hand carefully over his chest, moving slowly so he wouldn't slap it away.
"Heartbroken. Furious. Worried." Layla said. Eric looked like he was going to kill her. "Calm down, genius. It's the blood. You're hiding it all very well."
"Ah, you must be Mr. Northman's pet." Talbot said as he came down the stairs.
"Must be." Layla said, turning and sticking close to Eric's side. Eric wasn't the only one who was going to have to put on a show.
"It isn't normally so eventful around here." Talbot said apologetically.
"That's alright. Your home is absolutely beautiful. I'm sorry I'm so poorly dressed." she said with chagrin. "I didn't exactly plan on coming here."
"I can see that. I think we have some spare clothes. Lukas will take you to the Blue Room. There's some clothes in there that should be your size. I'm a collector of vintage clothing." he admitted proudly.
"You'll spoil her, Talbot." Eric said, patting Layla on the head like a little dog. A young looking brunette Vampire in all black took her upstairs.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Layla descended the staircase feeling like a traitor in small, silver heels. Her hair was down and she'd combed her fingers through it so it was just soft waves. The dress was dramatic, white and styled like something they wore back in Old Hollywood. In fact, it probably was worn back in Old Hollywood. It had long sleeves that hung loose then fit close at the wrists and the back scooped low showing a lot of skin. It was way too elegant for a girl with bright red punk highlights whose friend was being held captive and questioned by a vampire King while he best friend's boyfriend was quite possibly being killed. She swept down the stairs and saw Eric and Talbot playing cards.
"Oh, you look so cute!" Talbot said, treating Layla like a little doll, then returning to his game. Layla stood dutifully behind Eric's chair.
"So, how long have you two been together?" Eric asked. Layla recognized the tone in his voice...he used it sometimes when he was laying the charm on thick with Sookie.
"Just shy of 700 years. Although sometimes it feels like 7 million." Talbot said. Both men laughed quietly and shared a glance. Layla raised an eyebrow. Okay...she saw the angle Eric was using. Jealousy was boiling up but she smothered it quickly. If flirting was what Eric had to do to stay alive and keep the rest of them alive, so be it.
"Well, I hope he knows just how lucky he is." Eric said with a glance that could only be described as steamy.
"Oh, believe me, he knows." Talbot assured him.
"Get your hands off me!" came Sookie's voice from the hall.
"Carlos, take this, and have Timothy bring the car around." Russell said, handing Sookie over. Sookie stole a glance at Layla and her jaw dropped.
"Layla, what the fuck?" Sookie asked. Layla smiled and shrugged and it broke her heart to watch Sookie's face fall, but she knew it was for the best as she watched Sookie get dragged off.
"Where are you going now?" Talbot asked.
"I have business." Russell said.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"Eric! Please! Save Bill!" Sookie screamed as Carlos dragged her upstairs. Eric and Talbot just giggled. Layla kept her face demure and her eyes downcast. Russell cocked an eyebrow in Layla's direction.
"Just why, exactly, were you with Miss Stackhouse in the first place." Russell asked.
Fuck. Layla stole a quick glance at Eric, who nodded for her to answer. Layla turned to Russell.
"I was told to befriend Sookie, to see if she or her boyfriend had any information on some Vampire blood that's been moving through Eric's area. I'm guessing something bad happened, huh?" she said, turning big, wide, innocent eyes from Russell to Eric.
"Yes, something happened, but you did good." Eric said, patting her cheek.
"Mr. Northman, would you accompany me this evening?" Russell asked. Eric stood up quick as a shot.
"It would be an honor."
Talbot leapt us as well. "You never take me anywhere! Because you prefer to be in the company of sycophants." the man made to stalk from the room. "Deep down, my darling, you're a very weak character."
Layla received only the briefest of glances from Eric before he walked out of the house with Russell, leaving her alone in a Vampire den.
"You better know what the fuck you're doing, Northman." she mumbled softly to herself. "I hope I am." she said as she began to climb the stairs.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Layla bided her time for a few hours, wandering the halls as dawn rose and the Vampires went to ground. Now, as she snuck around in the old Hollywood gown and the heavy black boots she'd put back on, she decided it was time to grab Sookie and get the fuck out of Mississippi. She ripped the bottom off the priceless gown so it ended just above her knees. Easier to run in, just in case. She threw her stolen button down on over it. Only the werewolves were on guard right now. She needed a fucking plan. She needed a-
"Ow!" she exclaimed as she ran into somebody who cam barreling out of a room.
"Shit!" Tara said, jumping about a foot in the air.
"Tara?" Layla asked, recognizing her as the unpleasant sometimes bartender at Merlotte's and one of Sookie's best friends. "What the fuck happened to you?" Layla asked. Tara was in a white dress thing and absolutely covered with blood and what seriously looked like brain matter.
"Who the fuck are you?" Tara asked suspiciously.
"Layla. I'm a friend of Sookie's. I'm from Bon Temps too...sorta." she explained quickly.
"Where's Sookie?" Tara asked.
"Why don't we get the fuck out of the hallway and get that blood off you before someone sees?" Layla said, pulling Tara into one of the beautiful marble bathrooms. "Sookie is down the hall. Only one guard in front of her door. Come here, you have a piece of skull bone in your hair." Layla said, helping Tara wash up and change.
"Why the fuck are you here at all?" Tara asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Layla asked, but Tara shut up quickly, obviously keeping her secrets to herself. Layla shrugged, unperturbed by the silence. "Look, the guards have seen me walking around so you'll need to get her but I have an idea, okay?" Layla asked as she wiped Tara's face of with a wet washcloth.
"Ok." Tara said resolutely.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Hi. Got that little blonde girl in there?" Layla heard Tara ask the guard. Layla herself stood pressed against the wall just a little ways down the hall. She was exhausted and the fact that she hadn't slept and it was now daytime had a lot to do with it, but she doubted highly she would find a true blood anywhere in this place.
"Nobody told me about any-" the guard tried to protest.
"If she ain't eatin' almonds, Talbot ain't gonna be happy and if Talbot ain't happy, Russell ain't happy and it Russell ain't happy you dog boys ain't gonna be gettin' any Vampire blood. Now open up the godddamn door!" Tara ordered. As Layla heard the snick of the lock she grabbed the vase from the hall and crept forward.
"Great, you fell asleep and let her escape?" Tara was asking.
"No." The vampire said in disbelief, stepping into the room. Sookie slammed the guy in the gut with something heavy at the same time Layla brought her own weapon down on the guy's head. Tara started hitting too. It took a few minutes but the three of them eventually knocked him unconscious.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sookie asked.
"Killing Vampires and saving your ass." Tara said, grabbing Sookie by the hand and racing out of the room with Layla right on their heels.
"Fill her in later and lets get the hell out of here!" Layla barked.
"He's got werewolves patrolling the grounds by day." Tara explained as they crept quietly down the stairs. "But if we get to one of his cars, hotwire it-"
"I'm going to find Bill. Where are the slave quarters?" Sookie asked.
"What? Sookie are you nuts?" Layla hissed. He was probably already dead anyway. It was sad but pointless to dwell when there was nothing to be done.
"He was covered in blood. He was gonna let them kill me." Tara told her. "I'm not risking my life to save his dead ass and neither should you."
"He may not be dead yet and they forced him to do all that other stuff. That's not who he is!" Sookie argued.
"I am not leaving here without him." she said flatly.
"Then you're a fucking idiot." Tara hissed.
"Sookie, if I die helping you, I will haunt your ass." Layla promised softly. Sookie threw her a glare then looked back to Tara.
"Just find us a way out of here."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sookie and Layla made it to the slave quarters just as Debbie and Coot came stumbling out, both of them high as a kite off of V which Layla presumed was Bill's. As they declared their love for each other Sookie muttered under her breath.
"Trash."
"Focus." Layla snapped. "If we're gonna do this you need to think more about what your doing and less about two weres fucking in the woods."
When the snuck inside the building Layla's eyes went wide. Bill was chained to the floor and he had been obviously tortured. Sookie knelt dutifully by his side and begged for him to be alive. Layla couldn't blame her, but if he didn't show some signs of life in the next minute and a half she would be dragging the sobbing blonde back to Louisiana by her hair.
"Sookie." came Bill's weak voice just as Layla began to seriously entertain that option.
"I'm gonna get you out of here. I'm gonna make you well if its the last thing I ever do." Sookie promised solemnly. "Because I love you Bill Compton. I am not about to let you go."
"Well isn't that heartwarming?" Lorena asked, stepping out of the shadows and throwing Sookie against the wall.
"Hey!" Layla said jumping forward but Lorena backhanded her and she stumbled back and fell, knocking her head against the floor hard.
"This is all your fault." Lorena said, sinking her fangs into Sookie's neck and suddenly the room was filled with a terrible, heart-wrenching scream.