Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Layla and a few of the plot twists.
Layla scrambled to her feet from where she had fallen in the yard and ran inside where Vampires lay dead or wounded in the disaster zone of a nest. Bill was back as well, unharmed. He must have been outside too.
"Sookie?!"
"Eric?!"
"Sookie?!"
"NORTHMAN!!!!" Layla bellowed. When she heard Sookie's voice she turned and saw Eric, lying on top of the blonde. Bill was crouched low, checking on her but Layla stood ramrod straight, riding a wave of controversial emotions. She was glad Sookie was okay, but she was furious that Eric had wounded himself, hurt himself to protect her. That was Bill's job.
"I covered her." Eric said weakly. "She's only stunned. Get the humans." he said. Bill whipped his head around and chased after what Layla only could assume were members of the Fellowship.
"Layla." came the scratched silk of Eric's voice. She fought the anger that was rising steadily in her and looked down at him, her face cold with impassivity.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Go check on Godric...please." he asked. Layla sighed. Had he asked her to check on anyone else she would have said no, but he was asking her to check on his maker, the person he loved most in this world. She couldn't say no, as she she stomped off through the debris.
Isabel was crawling around helping those who were still breathing. Godric stood looking around at the carnage when Layla reached him.
"Godric, are you all right?" she asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes still sadly combed the room.
"What can I do?" she asked. Godric looked at her. Her long brown hair framed her face, and her eyes were wide with compassion, her lips parted on her last question. He smiled.
"You look like your mother." he said. Layla frowned.
"Did you hit your head?" she asked. Godric shook his head and frowned again.
"No. Help them." he said, pointing the the various people lying about the room. Layla frowned and went around, pulling out splinters of wood and pieces of silver. It didn't take very long, as most of the Vampire who were able were already healing themselves.
"Who's dead?" Godric asked as Layla and Isabel walked back up to him.
"Stan, Paulo, Catherine and two human companions." she informed him.
"I'm going to check on Eric." Layla said, walking over to see Sookie's mouth on the blonde viking's chest. Bill approached at the same time, but Layla's mouth moved quicker.
"Sookie, what in the hell are you doing?" she asked, her voice a razor's edge. The girl promptly spit out a bullet and turned first to Layla then to Bill.
"I sucked silver out of Eric's chest and saved his life, even though I really didn't want to." she said.
"She was superb." Eric purred. Anger boiled up inside Layla and she kicked the stupid Vampire hard in the side, even though she knew it probably did no damage.
"I bet she was you raving jackass." Layla hissed bitterly.
"Jealousy does not become you, Miss Dahlin." Eric said, lazily rolling his eyes in Layla's direction.
"Nor does it become you, Mr. Northman. Poor Eric, couldn't get Sookie in any honest fashion and so you had to trick her into it. You're pathetic." the brunette seethed. Eric's eyes flashed but he said nothing. Sookie frowned and looked to Bill.
"What?"
"Eric was in no danger." Bill said coldly.
"He...what?" Sookie asked, thoroughly confused, and the honesty of her confusion only served to further infuriate Layla.
"A tiny falsehood." Eric said easily, as if it were nothing.
"To match your tiny-"
"He was already healing." Bill interrupted Layla. "The bullets would have pushed themselves out. This way, he's forced you to drink his blood."
"No! No, no!" Sookie said, but he protests couldn't change it.
"You are connected. He'll be able to sense your emotions." Bill said.
"You big lying a-hole!" Sookie yelled at the blonde, who still lounged on the floor, unfazed.
"Bill, you're right, I believe I can sense her emotions." Eric said.
Layla wanted to throw up. One because she was furious with Eric, Two because of why she was furious with Eric, and Three because of how utterly betrayed she felt. All of these emotions bundled together into something she couldn't understand. It was like a tangle of thread she couldn't unravel. Sookie smacked a fist down on his chest and ran into Bill's arms.
"Sweet." Eric noted.
"I'll never do anything for you again, monster!" Sookie told him.
"It's not your fault." Bill tried to comfort the blonde.
"Think I'm gonna cry." Eric said sarcastically.
"Oh, I'll make you cry." Layla offered. Eric turned and gave her one of his most seductive smiles.
"Y'all, listen up!" Jason shouted, drawing attention to the center of the room where Isabel and Godric stood.
"They may come back. Go to the Hotel Camilla. They have been alerted. Security is in place." Godric said. Everyone began leaving, Bill with his arm around Sookie, but Layla was unfortunately rooted to the floor, her anger making her immobile. Eric glanced over his shoulder at her.
"Are you coming?"
"Not with you." she ground out between clenched teeth.
"Come now, Layla. What about all we've shared?" he asked, reaching out to run a finger along her jawline but the brunette smacked his hand out of the way.
"Share it with Sookie. She obviously means a lot to you." Layla said before storming out. She would ride with Isabel to the hotel. Eric could go screw himself.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Layla found herself a new room, one that she did not have to share with Eric Northman and took a long hot shower. She rummaged through the bags she had made the hotel workers bring down and pulled on a black t-shirt and dark blue, plaid sleeping pants that hung low on her waist. Her hair was damp, but drying in it's usual loose curls. Depression had eaten away some of the anger. Layla knew it was silly to be personally offended by Eric's manipulation but she did. I mean, it wasn't as if they had been dating. It was just, their relationship had felt kind of intimate to her, and having his blood in Sookie just, infuriated her beyond words.
The woman spent hours pacing and thinking. Thinking and pacing. Tv only distracted her for a while, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Sookie. She didn't know anymore. Eventually she fell asleep, alone in her big hotel bed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Layla was lying naked between sheets that felt expensive on her bare skin as someone peppered her shoulder with kissed. Turning and glancing over her shoulder she saw Eric and smiled lazily before turning to face him.
"You're in a good mood." she noted, brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of his eyes.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, leaning forward and catching her lips in his own. Layla giggled and kissed him back.
"I love when you smile. You don't do it often enough."
"I smile all the time, you're just unobservant." Eric argued playfully. "So, what do you think?"
"About what?" Layla asked, not really caring as she focused move on her hand which was traveling down Eric's naked torso.
"Turning you? It won't take much, and you're already so much like a Vampire anyway." he said. Layla sighed and snuggled closer to him kissing his neck.
"That's a big commitment, Eric. If you have me forever, you may not want me." she warned him. Eric laughed, a deep, rich, resonant sound.
"I will always want you, my love." he said, kissing her with more heat. "Besides, I'm at least being nice and asking you. You know I could just take what I want." he threatened, pinning her back against the sheets. Layla laughed and smiled up at him.
"I know you could, Eric, but you are asking. You care." she noted.
"Of course I care." he said, his eyes burning with sincerity. "Why else would I ask?"
Layla took a deep breath. "Alright." she agreed. "Turn me."
Eric smiled and popped his fangs out and as he lowered his head to her neck Layla saw someone slink out of the shadows in the corner of the room. It was Sookie, her long blonde hair looking odd with skin that was now pale and white. She wore a tight red dress that looked out of character for her and had two puncture wounds on the side of her neck.
"Don't worry, Layla. Eric's bark is much worse than his bite." she said, her own fangs popping out. Layla's went to scream just as Eric's fangs pierced her neck.
"NOOOO!" Layla screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed.
It had been a dream. A crazy, awful dream. Layla ran a hand through her hair and faintly heard a knock on her door. She stumbled out of bed and opened in a crack to peer out into the hall and see who it was.
"What do you want?" she asked harshly when Eric pushed her door further open.
"You need to get dressed. We're needed in Godric's room." he said. Layla shrugged.
"You don't need me there. I'm just a useless human who got caught. Sookie's the telepathic Vampire helper. I'm just back-up." she said bitterly.
"This childish petulance doesn't suit you, Layla. Now get dressed." Eric demanded softly.
"Why?" she asked, propping her hands onto her hips.
"Because I'm asking nicely."
"Tough shit." she said, going to close the door. Eric's hand shot out and kept it open.
"You are mine and I require your presence at my side tonight, so you will get dressed and meet me in Godric's room."
"No, I won't. I don't owe you anything." Layla said. Eric stepped forward into the room and closed the door behind him. "Get out of my room!" she yelled, angry with his sudden intrusion.
"I'm sorry if I offended you by tricking your friend, but quite obviously, Bill Compton is incapable of looking after Sookie, and she is far too valuable an asset to be lost so carelessly, so yes, I had her drink my blood so I could keep better track of her. I suggest you get a handle on your jealousy." Eric purred in a dangerously soft voice. Layla scoffed loudly.
"Jealous. I am not jealous." she said. "I'm furious because I was locked in a church basement and almost raped. I'm furious because I was used and turned out I couldn't even defend myself let alone my friends. I am furious because after already using both me and Sookie you do it again, making her drink your blood just to piss off her boyfriend and be the big bad Vampire Sheriff. It's like fury has burned away every other emotion I could have possibly felt in this situation, so what you seem to be mistaking for jealousy, Mr. Northman, is actually unbridled, passionate, raging, fury!" Layla screamed. Her voice had started even and slowly crescendoed. Eric just let her vent and then took a breath.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked.
"Barely."
"You have fifteen minutes." he reminded her as he went to leave.
"I'll only need ten." she said, right before he shut the door.