Layla blinked, unaccustomed to being in such bright light and stared for a moment at Godric.
"Crap. Am I dead? I'm gonna so pissed off if I'm dead." she asked, sinking down to sit in the soft grass beneath her. She was in an open field and there were cliffs in the distance. Godric just smiled.
"Being 'pissed' wouldn't change much, but don't fear. You are still alive." he said, bending down to sit beside her.
"Where are we?" Layla asked as a salty breeze blew past her. Godric closed his eyes as the wind washed over his face.
"Ireland. I always enjoyed the scenery here. Those are the Cliffs of Moher." he explained. Then he opened his eyes and looked at her. "You get yourself into an awful lot of trouble because over Eric."
Layla shrugged self-consciously. "I'm just trying to watch out for Sookie."
"You mean keep an eye on her, so she and Eric won't grow too close." Godric said. Layla sighed.
"Maybe." she admitted. "I can't help it. I'm not usually such a jealous person, but with him, I just- I can't help it." she squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden rush of emotion. "I don't like feeling this way. Like I can't escape him."
"Why do you have to escape him?" Godric asked. "Is he holding you hostage?"
'Just my heart.' Layla thought sarcastically, but she didn't say it aloud. Godric put a caring hand on her shoulder.
"Child, you are a halfling. You are cold, calculating, logical and strong like a Vampire."
"Yeah, I've been told." Layla said pulling her knees up to her chest. Godric laughed softly.
"But, you are only half Vampire. You can still feel heat. You love. You can be irrational and self-sacrificing. You can walk in the light. Have you ever tried to embrace the light in you?" Godric asked.
"Well..." Layla said, ready to give a witty comeback but then she thought about it. "No."
"Maybe, you are not as meant for the darkness as people think you are. Be all that you are Layla. Do not be only one half of everything you are." he said. "And please be more careful with yourself." Godric said, getting up to walk away.
"So, are you my guardian angel now or something?" Layla asked.
"Certainly not. I'm just...a friend." he said with a smile. "Embrace your light, Layla."
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Layla's eyes fluttered open and she saw Alcide standing over her.
"Hi." she croaked. Her throat was dry. Alcide handed her a plastic cup of water and she took a few little sips to wet her mouth. "Thank you. How's Sookie?"
"Awake. There was some issues earlier and we almost lost her, but uh, Bill gave her a transfusion so she's awake. I think they're breaking up." he admitted with some regret. Layla gave a shrug.
"Can't blame her, I guess. If I man almost killed me I doubt I would rush back into his arms." Layla said. Alcide sank down and sat beside her on the bed and put a gentle hand on the side of her head.
"How's that head?" he asked. Layla smiled.
"Better. They gave me a transfusion, right?" Layla asked.
"How'd you know?" he asked with a smile. Wow, his smile was beautiful. He looked like a completely different man when he smiled.
"I feel all awake and energized. That's what normally happens after I have blood." Layla explained. Alcide made a face.
"So, do you drink blood? Like a Vamper?" he asked, trying hard to look only mildly disgusted. Layla laughed and shook her head gently so she didn't rattle her only recently un-rattled brains.
"I just started drinking TruBlood recently, when I found out I was a halfling and started dealing with all this crazy shit. I use a little bit to make a smoothie for breakfast. I don't exactly order them when I go out. I prefer rum and coke." Layla told him. "Never human blood." she said. Strictly the synthetic stuff and Eric's...but she wouldn't tell him that last part.
"So you eat people food?" Alcide asked with a joking smile.
"I love steak." Layla said. "I wouldn't never give that up ever, even if I was a Vampire." she joked. Alcide smiled.
"I might have to see that for myself." he said, giving her another sexy smile. Layla arched a brow in skeptical surprise.
"Mr. Herveaux, are you asking me out?" Layla asked with a smile of her own.
"If that's alright with you." he said politely.
"More than alright." Layla assured him. If this wasn't embracing the damn light she didn't know what was.
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Both Sookie and Layla were able to leave that same day from the hospital. Alcide took both of them back to Sookie's so he could keep an eye on them at the same time. Even though Layla pointed out more than once that he was only needed to protect Sookie, both he and the blonde insisted Layla come with them.
Curled up on the couch in a pair of borrowed pajamas, Layla blew on the mug of warm tea in her hands.
"There's a guest room upstairs. You're welcome to it for as long as you need." Sookie was telling Alcide. She was cuddle up in the corner of the couch with a blanket around her shoulder. Alcide sat in a white tank top and jeans. Layla was still upset and confused about Eric. She was also worked hard to ignore the various emotions bubbling away in the pit of her stomach that had to be from him. Staring at the muscles in Alcide's arms certainly helped to distract her.
The front door opened and Andy Bellefleur walked in.
"Andy, what are you doing here?" Sookie asked. Jason appeared beside Andy.
"Just because I let that fanger give you his blood doesn't mean I forgive him." Jason was saying walking over to Sookie. Layla stopped listening after that and just stared at Alcide. In the back of her mind she heard Sookie refusing to press charges, she heard Jason threaten violence against Bill, but Layla didn't listen. She didn't want to hear about anymore Vampires.
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Sookie was tanning on the front lawn. Layla had considered it but instead perched her butt on the porch steps with a glass of homemade iced tea. She still got sun, but, well with her skin as pale as it was she tended to burn, not tan.
She was trying to figure out how the hell she was going to get her car back to Bon Temps. She had no desire to return to Jackson. She still had all that money from Eric. Maybe she could just buy a new one. Layla shifted as Tara passed and walked out onto the lawn and laid down beside Sookie. Within minutes they were bickering like sisters again. Layla rolled her eyes and took another sip of tea.
It wasn't too much later that Alcide left after getting a call that Debbie had burnt down Janice's hair. Layla felt badly about that. She'd really liked Janice. She was pretty sure she'd quietly heard Alcide invite Sookie back to Jackson, but instead of being jealous she just smiled. Alcide was definitely a great guy, but he wasn't entirely Layla's type. she'd appreciated the recuperative flirting but any idiot with eyes could see it was Sookie he had a crush on.
Layla stared out at the pink sky. Twilight was approaching and she tried not to, but she hope Eric was alright.
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Eric had expected Layla to get herself and Sookie out of Jackson, he hadn't expected her to leave a trail of bodies in her wake. Leave it to that woman to make a mess. He'd stood by their lie when Russell had gotten upset about Sookie escaping.
"Layla was under my orders to stick to Sookie like glue. If Sookie planned to escape, Layla was supposed to go with her. If Layla is with Ms. Stackhouse, then I can find them more easily. " he'd lied smoothly. Russell hadn't been pleased but between the death of the magister and his sudden marriage to Sophie-Anne he hadn't had much time to see through it.
Eric had gone with him to inspect the slave quarter that held the remains of Lorena and one of the weres. The Viking had struggled to keep his fangs back when he'd smelled Layla's blood on the floor. If anyone had hurt her he would kill them...supposing he lived through his own devious plan. It was already falling spectacularly into place. He was staying behind with Talbot while Russell went to deal with other things.
Eric fought hard to focus on his own plan but for a short moment he allowed himself to reach out with his senses to Layla. The connection felt faint, but it was still there. He knew she was fine but he could sense a bittersweet sadness and for some inexplicable reason he felt guilty. More than he would have expected, Eric wanted to go and comfort her. Instead he forced himself to smile at Talbot and put a touch of seduction in his eyes.