Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Layla and a few of the plot twists.
Layla walked out into the crowd of vampires at Godric's home where she had been the other night when the plan had originally been set in motion and yet felt entirely comfortable. A nice Vampire had brought her a change of clothes that were luckily just her style, just a bit more risque than what she would normally wear. A tight black mini-skirt and black t-shirt that was cropped to expose her stomach and covered with a see-through mesh. She felt like she should be clubbing or something. As she walked into the room she saw Eric talking to Jason Stackhouse, who as it turned out, was Sookie's brother. When he walked away with a petrified expression and Layla saw a genuine smile cross Eric Northman's angelic face she walked over to find out what he'd done.
"Making friends already?" she asked. Eric raised an eyebrow and took in her outfit.
"Simply thanking him." Eric said innocently.
"Liar." Layla said tightly. "I don't care though. Is there rum?" she asked.
"No, but there is..." Eric popped out his fangs. Layla fought off a shiver and rolled her eyes. Eric's blood was probably the better call, but she wouldn't. She was human. Not a Vampire. She did not drink blood.
"I'll just go hunt for some rum." she said. Layla felt Eric following her but he stopped as they passed Bill and Sookie.
"Hm, I heard my name. I hope you were speaking well of me." he said silkily.
"Doubt it." Layla muttered as she rooted through the bar.
"Why should I? You let us walk into a trap." Sookie said testily.
"I regret that. If I had known it was a possi-"
"You did know, but because it was Godric, you'd risk anything." Sookie said. Layla smiled in triumph as she found a tiny bottle of rum in the very back of the cabinet, covered in dust.
"The bond between a Vampire and his Maker is stronger than you can imagine. Perhaps one day you'll find out." Eric said. Jealousy smacked Layla so fast in the face she dropped the precious bottle and it shattered at her feet. Bill glared at Eric, Sookie turned to look at Layla and Eric grinned at the brunette who stomped away, seething, ignoring the shards of broken glass and puddle of rum of the floor.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Layla stood outside and bummed a cigarette off a rather tame looking Vampire. She didn't smoke often but when she did she could run through a pack in a few short hours. Sitting outside in the warm Texas air she had time to think about the heavily conflicting emotions in her. It was like her emotions were constantly flip-flopping about Eric Northman. She cared about him even though she really didn't want to, and in moments, she had deluded herself into thinking he cared for her, but he didn't. He was more interested in Sookie than in her. Layla was just, second-best, a mistake, a consolation prize.
Like hell. She was second to no one. If didn't come first in someone's eyes than it simply wasn't worth it.
Layla watched from behind the glass as Godric let Hugo go. She wasn't happy with the decision, but a part of her envied Hugo. Through it all, every betrayal, everything he had done, Isabel still loved him. Layla tossed her cigarette and stubbed it out as Jason and Bill walked outside. they nodded their hello's as she walked back in. There were people everywhere except near Godric, who was no left mostly to himself. He spotted her from across the room and gestured to the seat beside him.
"Come, sit by me, child." he offered. Layla smiled and took the seat.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. Layla laughed.
"Tired, but that's not really important. How do you feel?" she asked. A rush of affection took over as she spoke to Godric.
"I am tired as well, but it is of no importance either." he told her. Eric appeared in the doorway and with a look the one or two remaining Vampires left the room, but Godric's gentle hand on Layla's made her stay. They shared a smile and sat in silence for a minute until Eric walked up and kneeled in front of Godric. Tension crept back into Layla's shoulders.
"I told him not to stop driving until he reaches the Mexican border." Eric said. "I have arranged for an AB- human for you. Extremely rare." Eric said, sounding slightly pleased with himself.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry."
"You have to feed eventually. I doubt the Fellowship had anything to offer." Eric said, with an enticing smile as he tried to tempt Godric to eat. Layla found herself sympathizing. She wanted Godric to eat as well. What better way to regain his strength. She held out her arm.
"Want some? I'm delicious." she offered with a wink.
"It's true. She is." Eric agreed, both of them taking on those cheery tones parents attempt when talking a child into eating his vegetables. Godric's silence erased both of their happy masks.
"Why wouldn't you leave when I first came for you?" Eric asked.
"They didn't treat me badly. You'd be shocked at how ordinary most of them are." Godric said.
"They do nothing but fan the flames of hatred for us." Eric argued gently.
"Let's be honest. We are frightening." Godric allowed. Layla frowned.
"Fear isn't an excuse." she said, disgusted with Godric defending his captors and hers.
"After thousands of years we haven't evolved. We've only grown more brutal. More predatory. I don't see the danger in treating humans as equals. The Fellowship of the Sun arose because we never did so."
"Is that you wouldn't fight when they took you?" Eric asked softly. Layla watched Godric, waiting for his answer.
"I could have killed every last one of them within minutes, but what would that have proven?" he asked. Layla reached out slowly and placed her hand over Godric's. The Vampire turned and smiled at her, then turned and placed his other hand on Eric's shoulder.
"Thank you both, for understanding me, or at least trying to."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After a while Layla left to give Godric and Eric time alone. She walked out into the front of the house and reluctantly grabbed a TruBlood.
"Ew, you're drinking that?" Sookie asked, wrinkling her nose. Layla sighed.
"Well, since I dropped the rum this is all they're is, besides I'm hungry and it's supposed to be filling." Layla said, pouring some into a wine glass. The Vampire that had stood beside Layla left as another approached. A woman wearing a red dress who seemed particularly interested in Sookie.
"Hello there. I'm Lorena."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sookie." said the bubbly blonde. Layla took a careful sip of the TruBlood as she watched the situation unfold.
"Hm, yes. You're what all the fuss was about." Lorena said. Sookie threw a glance at Layla whose nose was wrinkled both at the disappointment of the TruBlood (it wasn't nearly as good as Eric's) and also the fight the Vampire was trying to pick with Sookie.
"Excuse me?" she asked, with a confused smile.
"You're a morsel." Lorena said. Layla put down her glass.
"Interesting choice of words." she noted softly. The Vampire flashed a dazzling smile.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sookie asked, obviously confused by the situation.
"Well, we have a mutual friend."
"Bill?" Sookie asked, all traces of humor leaving her face quickly.
"That's right." Lorena said, still smiling. "Funny he never mentioned me. I practically made him what he is today."
Layla's eyes widened at the implication that seemed to pass over Sookie's head just as Bill came flying towards them, as if on cue.
"Lorena!"
"Oh, hello darling. I was just getting to know your plaything. You always did like to prey on the innocent." Lorena said.
"Bill, is this your maker?" Sookie asked. Layla raised a brow. She guessed the comment hadn't gone over Sookie's head after all.
"She released me years ago. She no longer has any hold over me." Bill tried to explain.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Lorena said with a smile. "We had two marvelous nights in your hotel room."
"What?" Sookie asked. Layla sighed, and took another gulp of TruBlood, just in case a fight broke out.
"Did you know your boyfriend hit me over the head with a 52 inch plasma television earlier tonight? Everyone says they're so thin and light, but let me tell you when wielded properly it's quite a weapon." Lorena said.
"Good." Layla mumbled.
"You did?" Sookie asked, turning to Bill.
"Lorena, you need to leave." Bill told her quietly.
"I hope he doesn't pull the same shenanigans with you. There's no excuse for domestic violence." Lorena taunted.
"What she has failed to mention, is that she was holding me prisoner." Bill said, anger making his voice louder than it had previously been.
"Pah-shaw. We we're just catching up is all. You must have been worried sick, wondering where he was. I admit, it got a bit...heated, but you know how old lovers can get sometimes." The woman said, turning to touch Bill's cheek. Sookie's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.
"Do. Not. Touch. Him." she said darkly. Layla smiled, a small flicker of pride burning for her friend's balls. By now everyone was staring and everyone paused to see the human who had just put her hands on the bitch of a Vampire.
"My...we're feisty too." Lorena noted before laughing lightly in Sookie's face. "You're no more than a blood bag. You can not win this."
"I've already won. Bill chose me, and yet, you still won't give up. Don't you have any shame?" Sookie asked quietly.
"Sookie! Stop." Bill hissed, suddenly nervous, and though as amusing as Layla found it when Sookie played the part of a badass, a nervous Vampire made her nervous too, and Bill looked like he was about to freak out.
"I'd listen to him. Run away, little girl. William and I love each other." Lorena said, walking around towards Bill who grabbed her by the shoulders and steered her back, keeping her at arms length.
"You've gone mad. Get out now!" he said, backing up to place himself between the two women. Lorena looked like she had just been slapped.
"Maybe you do love him, who am I to guess, but he doesn't love you. He never has and that, we both know." Sookie said, bill restraining her as she fought to get into Lorena's face. The fangs came out as Sookie struck a weak spot in Lorena's armor.
"Take those words back or they shall be your last." she threatened.
"We're leaving." Bill said, dragging Sookie away, but by now the blonde had lost it.
"Go find someone else you fucking bitch, you've lost this one!" Sookie screamed. Lorena knocked Bill aside and slammed Sookie down on the counter. Jason rushed forward and Layla went to jump between them as well, but it proved unnecessary because Godric now held Lorena's neck in his hands, stopping her from biting the young girl's exposed neck.
"Retract. Your. Fangs...now" the ancient Vampire demanded. Lorena pulled them back into her mouth. Sookie jumped off the counter and into Bill's arms.
After a rather stern talking to from Godric, Bill escorted Lorena from the nest, leaving Sookie in Layla's care. The brunette smoothed her hair away from her face.
"Sook, you know, you're kind of a badass." Layla noted with a smile.
"Ugh, trust me, you would have done the same thing in my shoes. I mean, just imagine if someone talked that about Er-"
"Say 'Eric' and we are no longer friends." Layla warned playfully. "Ugh, I need a cigarette again. I'll be back." Layla said, going off to bum yet another cig before walking outside. The sky was beautiful, the night warm and everyone was relatively safe again. She wasn't sure how she felt about eventually going back to the hotel and being alone with Eric. Part of her dreaded it, knowing he didn't care at all what happened to her. To him she was a thing. How could someone as good as Godric know someone as annoyingly cold as Eric Northman. Still, another, and steadily growing part of her forgave him his coldness and wanted nothing more than affection from him, for attention. She wanted his smiles and his jokes to belong only to her. It was a strange possessive nature and it scared her. As she finished the cigarette and exhaled she turned to go back in the house and suddenly ducked as the windows shattered and something inside exploded. The scream that came out of her mouth shocked even her.
"ERIC!!!!"