-A.N. There are a lot of spelling/grammatical errors in these stories. I do not edit before I post. This story is not my best work. I pretty much write a chapter in one sitting and then throw it up as soon as possible. It was pointed out to me by one of my lovely reviewers that 'Erland' is actually 'Oland'. Forgive me, I just spelled it as it sounded to me. I also realized later that Casey is actually Catie. Another hearing oops. I'm sorry this story isn't of a higher caliber, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. -
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Layla couldn't face Eric and so climbed upstairs to her bedroom. She was exhausted on every level that a person could be exhausted. She stripped down to her underwear and locked her door before climbing beneath the sheets and falling asleep.
XXxxXXxxXXxxXX
Layla woke in the late afternoon, surprised she had slept so long. She felt like crap. The stomach pain had become constant and she had spent most of the night tossing and turning.
Layla left Sookie and Tara at the house and drove to Shreveport in the hopes of stopping by Moon Goddess and talking to Marnie, hopefully to get a clue about what was going on. She had just pulled up when she saw Marnie being dragged out by Bill's guards. She waited for them to leave before following them to Bill's making damn sure she didn't follow too closely.
When she arrived at Bill's the guards stopped her.
"You can't come in unless your name is on the manifest, Miss." a guard said.
"Please tell his majesty that it's Layla Dahlin and I know about Moon Goddess." she informed the guard. Layla cracked her knuckles as she waited. The guard relayed the message quietly into his microphone and listened as he got a response in his ear.
"Go on in." he told her.
"Thanks so much." she said, striding into the Vampire King of Louisiana's house wearing her combat boots, a pair of jeans and black tank top with a band logo on the front. Bill met her in the hall and escorted her to his office.
"I thought you didn't know anything about Eric's disappearance." Bill asked calmly.
"I don't, but I did see your people drag Marnie out of Moon Goddess today. I also saw Casey there, so I'm guessing she works for you, which means you probably know I was part of that circle up until recently. I want to know what's going on." Layla said flatly.
"What happened is that necromancing bitch ruined my face." came a voice from the corner. There was a woman in all black with a veil covering her face.
"Who is that?" Layla asked Bill. Pam threw back the veil to reveal her decaying face and as she did the smell of rotting flesh hit Layla right in the nose and she fought hard not to gag.
"It's me." Pam said, very obviously pissed off.
"Oh, Pam." Layla said, looking at Eric's progeny. The two were not exactly friends, but Layla definitely held a certain fondness in her heart for the cold woman.
"I don't want your sympathy." Pam snapped.
"It's not sympathy." Layla said stubbornly. "I'm sure we'll find a way to get you back to your beautiful self in no time."
"Fuck you." Pam spat. Layla rolled her eyes.
"Okay then." she said, turning back to Bill. "Can I be in on this? I want to help."
"Why do you want to help find Eric?" Bill asked.
"I don't, I want to help myself. I'm half-vampire, no matter how I try to pretend that I'm not. If there is necromancy going on, I have no idea how it may affect me. I'm trying to keep my own ass safe here." Layla said. Bill smiled tightly and motioned for her to stand beside him as he gazed at the monitors that showed Marnie in her cell. He pressed a small button and began speaking.
"Good evening, Marnie. My name is Bill Compton. I promise no harm will come to you if you cooperate. I just want to ask you some questions."
"Where am I?" Marnie asked.
"You are in a locked room with no means of escape. So you should think carefully before answering. Recently a Vampire associate of mine entered the Moon Goddess Emporium and has not been seen since. Do you know what happened to him?" Bill asked calmly.
"He attacked us." Marnie explained, obviously frightened. "We started chanting and he left. I have no idea where he went."
"What were you chanting?" Bill asked.
"It was a non-specific protection incantation. I can barely remember what I said because, your associate took a chunk out of my neck."
"Yes, he does that." Bill said tersely.
"Please tell her to reverse this goddamn spell." Pam said quietly.
"We had assembled peacefully to practice our religion." Marnie said firmly.
"You have placed a spell on another associate of mine. A rotting spell of some kind and I'd like you to reverse it." Bill informed his captive.
"I don't know how." Marnie said, sounding small.
"Bullshit." Pam spat.
"You're certain?" Bill asked.
"Yes, I-I have no idea how I cast it. Or how to reverse it, I'm sorry." Marnie said. Bill turned off the intercom before pushing back from his desk.
"I will glamour her to be certain." he said.
"Are you insane?" Layla asked.
"You can't go anywhere near her." Pam told him.
"Insanity comes with the job." Bill said, sounding resigned. As he walked away Layla took his seat in front of the monitors and held her breath as Pam leaned over her shoulder. They switched the intercom back on and listened as Bill entered the cell and told Marnie not to be afraid.
"What are your intentions concerning witchcraft?" he asked the now glamoured Marnie.
"Only to assemble peacefully and practice our religion." she replied.
"What spell did you cast on Eric Northman at Moon Goddess Emporium?"
"I don't know I was in a panic." Marnie said dumbly.
"How do we reverse the spell that you cast on my associate in the woods?" Bill pressed.
"I don't know how." she admitted freely. Bill backed up and glanced at the camera.
"You heard her." he said.
"Fuck." Pam groaned. Layla leaned back in disappointment.
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After a fruitless day Layla began walking back towards the house. Bill was having a meeting with his sheriffs. Layla was walking up the front steps when something slammed into her. A hand closed around her throat before she could scream. Bill was choking her.
"You lied to me." he said. Layla, terrified, used all the force she had and kicked Bill in the groin before running inside. As she raced in the door she felt another blow to her gut. Eric and Sookie were on the couch, making out and well on their way to fucking.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Layla screamed. She felt rage like she had never known. Her fangs slid forward and she leapt, clear across the room and aimed for Sookie, tackling her off of the couch and slamming her fist into her face before Eric grabbed her up and restrained her like she was a ragdoll.
"Let go of me!" Layla said, kicking and screaming and clawing like a wild animal. "I'm going to kill her!"
"Layla!" Sookie gasped with tears sliding down her face.
"Who is that?" Eric said, baring his fangs at Bill who was also showing fangs.
"He's with me." Layla lied brazenly. She was going to say and do anything to hurt him. Eric dropped her so fast her legs crumpled beneath her. Eric rushed at Bill and the two began fighting. Eric threw Bill into the fireplace and was prepared to spear him with a fire poker when Sookie screamed.
"Eric, no!"
"Who is this Vampire to you?" he asked, never raising his eyes.
"He's...your king." Sookie explained. Layla sat, watching the scene unfold. Eric's fangs retracted in horror.
"My liege." he said, dropping to his knee. "Forgive me."
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Layla and Eric were being escorted into Bill's house by his guards.
"You have no right to do this!" Sookie argued as she followed Eric. Layla was guessing the blonde wasn't advocating for her judging by the purple swelling rising on her eye.
"I have every right. I am his king!" Bill snapped.
"You're not mine." Layla hissed through her still exposed fangs. She was too pissed to make them go away.
"Yes, you made that abundantly clear when you lied to me, but you're still a member of our society and therefore, my responsibility." Bill told her firmly.
"Your majesty. Whatever I'm guilty of, Sookie and Layla had nothing to do with it. They were only protecting me." Eric said sincerely.
"Don't speak for me, Northman." Layla spat.
"How touching." Bill said. "Silver him."
"He isn't resisting." Sookie said. "You don't have to hurt him!"
"Yeah, let's just take advantage of him instead." Layla snapped, staring daggers at Sookie.
"Where are you taking them?" Sookie asked as a automatic trapdoor opened behind them to reveal stairs to the basement.
"Sookie, stop. You don't have to do anything. You've done enough for me already." Eric said as he was forced down the stairs.
"Yeah I bet she has." Layla said, kicking Eric in the butt as best she could.
"Layla, please." Bill said, rolling his eyes. He didn't think he had ever seen the brunette so completely wild.
Layla was placed in the cell beside Marnie while Eric was placed with Pam.
"Layla!" Marnie said, jumping up when the brunette was shoved inside. She had managed to retract her fangs before the older woman got a good look at her face. As the guards slid the door shut Marnie hugged the still fuming woman. "What are you doing here?"
"I really don't want to talk about it Marnie." Layla said, sinking down onto the floor, his legs crisscrossed.
"That's a good idea. No talking. Let's just, focus on our breathing and pray to the spirits." Marnie said, taking a seat directly across from her. Layla leaned her head back against the wall and just focused on her breathing and on not crying. She couldn't believe that after months of a good thing, and after having no memory of her whatsoever, Eric still chose Sookie. It didn't matter what his past was obviously. It didn't matter how good they were together. It was always Sookie.
As for that little blonde, Layla hated her guts. How dare she? It was true Eric was capable of making his own decisions but he wasn't himself right now. If Eric had ever seduced her while her memory was gone you would bet that when she got her memory back she would have been running her lily white ass all around town screaming 'rape' at the top of her lungs. What a fucking hypocrite.
"Layla?" Marnie spoke up softly.
"I mean it, Marnie. I don't want to talk." Layla told her.
"I know, but I got this spirit in my head and he just won't be quiet. Says he has to tell you something important." Marnie told her. "He says he's your father."
"My father is alive and well back in Pennsylvania. So tell the spirit he's a liar." Layla said.
Marnie was silent for another moment. "He says he made you. You were with him, when he died."
Layla's eyes snapped open. It was Godric. Layla crawled over until she was sitting directly in front of Marnie, who seeing that she had Layla's attention continued with the message.
"He says he's sorry you hurt, but that hurting lets us know we're alive. He also says that your heart will always lead you on the right path, even if it's the hardest path you'll ever take. Forgiveness is love." Marnie said. Layla shook her head. It was too much pain. Far too much for one person to take.
"He also says congratulations on your miracle? He's very proud of you." Marnie said. Layla's frown deepened.
"What miracle?" she asked. Marnie paused for a moment, waiting for a response.
"The baby." Marnie said. Layla laughed darkly.
"I don't think so." Layla said, shaking her head.
"He's quite convinced you're pregnant, dear." Marnie told her. Layla rolled her eyes.
"Well, he's wrong. I can't have children, and there's...there's just no way." Layla said.
"May I?" Marnie asked, shaking her hand to clear her energy and preparing to feel Layla's vibrations. Layla brushed negativity from her arms, perhaps a little harder than she usually would and focused before raising her hand. Her eyes were closed but after she opened them she saw Marnie smiling.
"Oh, Layla..." the woman sighed. Layla backed away and looked around the room for any means to escape. Unable to find any she buried her face in the flimsy pillow the cell provided and screamed