Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Layla and a few of the plot twists.
Layla had thrown some clothes into a duffel bag and after a flurry of phone calls between her and Sookie the following morning and a late flight, finally arrived in Dallas. Sookie stepped off the plane dressed like sunshine. Very appropriate...but not really. There was a man standing by a limo with a sign reading 'Compton Party'.
"That's us!" Sookie chirped happily. Layla was silent as she walked beside her, dressed as usual, in contrast to her friend. Her hair was twisted up off her neck and she was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt from a rock concert she had once gone to, and her black sneakers. Some people thought it was weird that her favorite color was black. She thought they could shove it.
"I've always loved these. It's like booze for dolls." Sookie said, holding up one of the tiny vials of vodka. Layla smiled at her friend. She herself had indulged in a few rum and coke's on the plan but she wasn't as buzzed as Sookie seemed to be. Layla wasn't really paying attention as the man grumbled about them being late. Sookie explained how their plane had been delayed for take off, but there was something about him that still seemed...off. Layla didn't like it. As she took a step closer to Sookie his eyes flickered to her.
"I thought there was only three people in the Compton party." The man muttered nervously. Layla raised an eyebrow.
"Change of plans." she told him. Layla turned her head to see what had caught his eye. Bill and Jessica's travel coffins. Ugh, she had yet to meet Jessica but the idea of a 17-year-old, newly created vampire did NOT sound like fun. The driver was pestering Sookie and Layla to get in the car. The minute he grabbed Sookie, Layla grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him up against the car, at the same time Sookie screamed and Bill was out of his coffin in an instant, fangs bared, warning the man not make a sound. Layla slowly released her hold on the man and transferred him into Bill's grip. There was a clatter behind them and all three turned to see Jessica struggling to get out of her coffin.
Layla went to get the younger girl out of her coffin while Sookie and Bill got the driver into the back of the limo. Jessica's eyes were wide when Layla lifted the lid.
"Thank you! I was beginning to feel like a sardine in a can." she said, sitting up and running a hand over her red hair. Layla smiled and walked towards the car with Jessica in tow. When they got in Bill had 'glamoured' the driver whose name was Leon. As Layla took a seat near Sookie, Bill showed Jessica how to take over the glamouring process. It made Layla damn happy she was immune. Bill came to sit beside Sookie and she whispered to him something about his treatment of Jessica. Layla sighed impatiently.
"Sookie, you were almost abducted here. Prioritize." she said. Bill didn't look much happier.
"Which means someone knew you were coming." he added. Sookie optioned vampires.
"Too sloppy." Bill said. "Maybe that Fellowship."
"Bill, they're a church. Churches don't kidnap people." Sookie argued softly. Bill gave her a humoring look.
"Sookie, churches have done much worse throughout history."
Layla nodded. "I vote the church did it...in the hanger...with the idiot." she said, nodding towards Leon who was still under Jessica's watchful gaze.
When they arrived at the hotel, Bill and Sookie went to go check them in which left Layla with Jessica and Leon. Layla couldn't deny the slight fascination she felt as Leon just handed over his phone to Jessica.
"Everything's okay." Jessica reminded him. Layla shook her foot impatiently. This was so boring, babysitting a vampire who was babysitting a bad guy.
"Actually, everything's not okay." Jessica continued. Layla watched, interest renewed as Jessica had Leon scream something severely inappropriate through the hotel lobby. Layla burst into laughter as did Jessica. Bill turned.
"Jessica." he said sharply. The young redhead muffled her laughter with her hand, but Layla just held out her own hand for a low five. Jessica smiled and slapped her hand.
"Well played." Layla whispered with a ghost of a smile still on her lips. They all took the elevator up, Bill handing Layla the key to her room before the door even opened. Due to some rearranging they had done Bill, Sookie and Jessica were on the 7th floor, while Layla was on the 13th. It was only slightly inconvenient. Layla didn't mind, waving to the others as they stepped out with Leon still in tow.
Now that she was pleasantly alone she could unwind and think about some of the things that were going on. When she got into her, very large, room she dropped her bags and went to the minifridge. It was stocked with TruBlood but no liquor.
"Damn it. I got a Vampire Suite." she grumbled, in her mind cursing Eric Northman for being so incompetent...or annoying, whichever had caused her to be on the 13th floor without a drop of rum. Layla kicked off her sneakers and slipped on her stiletto ankle boots and then changed into a black, sequined top. The last thing she did was take her hair out, it's curls slightly more defined from being twisted up all day. Time to hit the bar.
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Layla sat at the bar, sipping on her third (or maybe it was her fourth) drink. She was charging them to the room, of course, so she didn't really have a limit.
"What are you doing down here?" came a familiar voice from behind her. Layla nearly choked on her drink as she spun on her barstool to see Eric Northman towering over her. He really was unnaturally beautiful. Main word being unnatural. His eyes were positively piercing and made her feel like she should cover up in modesty.
"Mr. Northman." she said coldly in greeting. "I'm down here because I'm thirsty, and TruBlood is not something I'm very fond of, but it's all my room has to offer."
"How do you know if you're fond of it or not? Have you ever tried it?" he asked, taking a seat beside her
"No. Have you?" she shot back, cocking her head to the side and sipping from the tiny black straw in her glass. Eric cracked a sadistic smile and she knew his answer was 'no'. "I didn't realize you were coming along for this little vacation." she added, swirling around the lime in her cocktail glass.
"I had not planned on it, but apparently Mr. Compton is incapable of protecting Sookie or yourself. I heard about your almost abduction by the Fellowship of the Sun." he said, watching her face for a reaction.
"The imbecile would have been killed in two minutes. There was no real threat. Those people are idiots. As for protection, Sookie may need Bill but I can take care of myself." Layla said, polishing off the rest of her drink and setting it down for the bartender to refill.
"Who exactly would have done the killing?" Eric asked in a gentle but mocking tone. Layla shot him a look.
"I may not murder people on a regular basis, but I'll do what it takes to survive. If that means killing some fat-ass limo driver, so be it." Layla said, thanking the bartender as he replaced her drink. "Why did you want me here? I can't do anything really. I don't read minds, I'm not as strong as a Vampire-"
"-but you are stronger than a human." Eric interrupted. Layla paused and took a thoughtful sip.
"That's debatable." she said.
"Sookie believes you are." Eric pressed.
"Sookie wasn't there when this supposed 'vampire strength' took over. Those guys, they were drunk and I had an adrenaline rush. I've never done anything like that before." Layla explained to him. Eric raised an eyebrow.
"How do you like your steak?" he asked. Layla was thrown off by the question.
"Rare." she responded. "What does that have to do with-"
"When was the last time you got sick?" he continued. Layla wracked her brain for a minute.
"I don't...I can't remember-"
"You're almost as pale as me, which I'm guessing is because you sleep during the day and are mostly nocturnal and you can not be glamoured." Eric told her.
"So what? I know where you're going with this but none of that makes me a Vampire." Layla said, leaning forward so no one else would hear them.
"It doesn't make you human either." Eric replied leaning forward. They were only inches apart but Layla refused to shrink away from him.
"What does it make me then?" she asked, studying his eyes carefully. They twinkled mischievously.
"Interesting." he told her. Layla took a sharp intake of air and then turned and downed the rest of her drink before going to stand. Eric blocked her path with his own body as he stood up quickly. She looked up, only a few inches shorter than him in her heels.
"What now?" she asked. Eric smiled.
"Leave the door unlocked, sweetheart." he whispered into her ear. Layla frowned and pulled back.
"What does that mean?" she asked nervously.
"It means I didn't book you a Vampire Suite to be funny. In this economic crisis, I thought it would be better to share." he told her. Layla opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. He was just as stubborn as her if not more so. She went to walk past him but paused to look at him carefully.
"I'm impressed by your foresight to book yourself a room before you knew you'd need to be here." Layla said. The playful look on Eric's face vanished and Layla walked away with a smug smile on her face. Eric watched as she walked away, his eyes riveted on the seductive sway of her hips. He was happy heels had yet to go out of style. They did so much for a woman's curves. Layla cast Eric a glance over her shoulder only to find him staring back. She couldn't believe she had to share a room with him. He was taking the couch. Like hell she was going to give up the bed. He was used to sleeping in a coffin for chrissakes, what did he need a bed for? As the elevator doors opened Bill stepped out, looking pleasantly surprised to see Layla standing there.
"Hello, Layla." he said.
"Eric's a jackass." she said hotly, still inwardly fuming about having to share a room with him. Bill sighed as the tall brunette got into the elevator to go back to her room. He certainly agreed with her. Eric was sitting in a leather chair and Bill took the one beside him.
"Did you tell her?" he asked as he sat down. Eric looked boredly around the room.
"What I tell my human is none of your concern." he said is his usual low, monotone way.
"What good can she do here other than amuse you? You are putting her in danger for nothing." Bill said. Eric turned his gaze to the man beside him.
"She can do more to protect Sookie than you can. At least from the Fellowship."
"What do you mean?"
"Layla is an incredible creature. Not quite Human, not quite Vampire. She can protect Sookie when neither you nor I are able." Eric explained.
"During the day, you mean?" Bill clarified.
"Precisely."
"You're putting her into far too much danger. Her and Sookie both." Bill said, his anger creeping into his voice. Eric just went back to looking about the room.
"Clearly I have more faith in them than you do." he said. His mind flickered briefly to Layla who was just minutes away in their suite. When they had been talking and she turned her head to the side it was hard for him to control the urge to reach out and sink his teeth into the milky white flesh of her throat, but such things should be savored...not rushed. It did not matter really. It was only a matter of time before she warmed to him and once she did she would be more controllable. All Layla really needed was to be broken in, and Eric knew he was just the Vampire to do it.