Thank you for reading! Please read, review, and let me know if you have any requests. I write whenever I get a spare minute.
After several months, Fangtasia bounced back from the negative press and business picked up. Pam and Eric were both pleased and wary about the influx of other supernaturals who began patronizing the bar. They tended to keep to themselves,so the vampires respected their privacy and took their money with watchful eyes. Capitalizing on the VRA campaign, Eric proposed trying a live music night, and, much to Pam's surprise, it had been a huge success. Vampire musicians were eager to reach human audiences, and Eric was able to preserve the bar's ambiance while improving their standing in the Shreveport nightlife scene. Pam used the opportunity to add to her work wardrobe, which proved popular with eager music fans, bi-curious alcoholics, and the leather crowd.
It was eleven on a Thursday night. The bar was starting to fill up. Pam stood outside with her hands on her hips, coolly regarding a college student who looked like she would be more at home with a Star Wars novella than listening to a three hundred year old punk guitarist. The girl pawed through her bag, crunching up receipts in a desperate attempt to find her ID. Pam rolled her eyes skyward, which made the girl panic even more. She found the laminated card and dropped it on the ground, where it bounced between Pam's feet. Blushing furiously, the student crouched down and attempted to pick up the card with her sweaty fingers. Smirking, Pam placed a foot on the girl's shoulder, forcing her to look along the shining plane of her thigh high boots, right up her miniskirt. "I can read it from here" she drawled, "and although you have the coordination of a five year old, the state of Louisiana says that you're twenty one. Go on in."The girl scooped up her card and fled through the doors.
"Impressive." came a crisp voice from the parking lot, "You managed to humiliate her, turn her on and frighten her all within two minutes."
Pam couldn't help but smile, "She was exceptionally clumsy. Usually it only takes me thirty seconds. Good evening, your majesty"
"Good evening, Ms. De Beaufort. I'm glad to hear that your tone is more cordial than the last time we spoke."
"I'm working, your highness, and I assume you're here on state business, so why would I be anything but?" Two young men dressed in leather jackets approached the entrance, IDs in hand. Pam glanced at them briefly and allowed them to pass. Regulars.
"I'm glad to hear it. Do I need to show you my ID, or will you let me in as I am?"
Pam tilted her head. The queen was dressed in a fitted suit, the buttons of her lavender shirt undone to expose the lacy top of a black bra, a black vest showcasing her tiny waist. Black pants and heels with mind boggling buckles and straps completed the ensemble, and her hair blazed madly around an otherwise serene face. Pam stepped aside, bowing slightly. The queen passed, heels tapping as she opened the door and disappeared inside.
"Hey!" yelled a young drunk woman striding toward the bar, dark hair swaying." Hey! You didn't card her! You have to let me in if you let her in. I look way older than that overdressed bitch! What the fuck?"
Pam blocked the woman's path and extended her fangs. "That overdressed bitch is five hundred years your senior and deserves some respect." Locking eyes with the girl, she sank into a glamor. "You will go inside and find the vampire you just insulted. Address her as 'your majesty' and say you have a message from Pam. Tell her what you said to me and then ask her to follow you to the bathroom. Pull your hair back and offer yourself to her. If she drinks, wonderful. If not, someone else will accept the invitation. Go."
The young woman set out with purpose and Pam returned to her shift, scowling at the empty cars, instantly regretting her impulsiveness. She took it out on the patrons, sending them scurrying into the bar with stinging barbs. An hour later, as the moon cast white light across the parking lot, a warm hand touched her shoulder. She whirled around to see the girl she had glamored, several sets of teeth marks on her neck and wrists. "Will you come inside please?" she asked throatily, " Eric and I have been in a meeting and I would like an audience with you as well." The human trailed her fingers down Pam's arm until she held her hand. Looking into her eyes, the girl blinked. "I owe you an apology." The glamor wore off and the girl looked at Pam, confused. Releasing her hand like it was burning, the customer stumbled off into the night.
Pam walked thoughtfully across the floor of the bar, crossing paths with Chow as he went to take up her position. Eric sat on his throne and she made to approach him, but he held up a hand and pointed in the direction of the office, a barely perceptible smile on his face. Scowling, she proceeded, opening the door and glaring at Sophie-Anne. "You said please and you mentioned an apology. What games are you playing this time, your majesty?"
"Sit down, Pam." the queen commanded gently.
Pam obeyed, crossing her legs so that the barely there strip of vinyl she wore as a skirt rode up indecently high, exposing her entire leg from where her boots ended at mid thigh to the swell of her ass, the only barrier to the queen's gaze provided by her hands clasped in her lap as she sat up stiffly.. Sophie-Anne took note of the sudden exposure, but did not mention it, instead launching into a speech.
"It has come to my attention during the creation of my new court that I have been prone to surrounding myself with yes men. In fact, after several poor decisions in the past month, I realized that I had fallen back into old habits and was relying on council from complete idiots. My security was a disaster, my spies unreliable and the humans under my command dull and tasteless." She paused, looking Pam in the eyes as she continued, "As you have so kindly pointed out, I have a tendency to be a 'fucking cunt' and overlook opinions that differ from my own although they may be correct. When comparing the service records of say, Bill Compton and Eric Northman, it is painfully clear that with quality work comes a strong personality, and I have previously thought to have one without the other. It has also come to my attention that when I backstab vampires who are of higher quality, they will bring me more harm. They are more intelligent and well loved than the Bill Comptons of the world, and I can expect to be punished for interfering with their affairs. I should be working with the assets I have, not attempting to mold them to my desires." Pam raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"With this in mind, I realized that Eric is one of my strongest assets, and you are his greatest ally. I do need to change the standards at my court, and with that in mind, I would like to offer you an advisory position. I discussed it with Eric and we came to the following terms. You would continue to work at Fangtasia for the majority of each month. You would be kept on a retainer and travel with me as my needs require, no more than twelve weeks a year. If the work exceeds the allotted time, you would be compensated at twice your salary. You will be a royal employee and therefore expected to dress as such. A wardrobe will be provided with your input, and you will have quarters at my palace, should you choose to use them. You will be entitled to feed from my court, but will be in charge of performing background checks on all new members. You will be exempt from certain formalities in order to give me your true opinion on matters. I know that you are young, but I am aware that you have a number of connections in the Midwest. I have business dealings in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan that I can only check up on intermittently, and I require a second pair of eyes to inspect the operations while I am in meetings. You will be sworn to secrecy to all except Eric Northman" she said his name with exasperation, " although I personally have no issue with you keeping things from him."
Pam smirked, despite herself. "I don't suppose that idea was yours?"
"He is highly invested in your well-being and seems to think that my original plan was to drive a wedge between the two of you, as if that were possible. No. You are his child and he insists that you be allowed to discuss work with him."
"What did you offer Eric, your majesty?"
" A hefty promotion"
"And he accepted?"
"He did."
"I need to discuss this with him." Pam said, rising to her feet.
"Take your time" the queen replied, "I'll be waiting." Pam walked to the door, but the queen's voice rang out suddenly behind her, "Pam." The taller vampire turned around, still frowning. "I'm asking you because you were right. You have no idea what these past months have been like. I know I can use your advice professionally because I've taken it to heart personally."
"Are you telling me you've changed, your majesty?"
"I don't think we change," the queen said carefully, "but I think that we can build on those parts of ourselves that are lacking. It's a difficult thing to do, especially in my position, but I'm trying."
"Give me a moment" and Pam walked out the door like oil seeping into a cloudy pool.
"Did you accept?" Eric asked
"No."
"Why not?" he deadpanned "It's the perfect position for you. It requires little effort and you get to play dress up."
"Eric, you hate her. She almost ruined us."
"Ah yes," he stated, "but that was before she made me a guarantee."
"And why would you trust her?"
"Because my spies have been keeping close tabs on our most beloved leader, and if what they say is correct, she truly is desperate. The queen has made many enemies, and I believe she is trying very hard to make amends. She's being watched carefully by both the AVL and the IRS. They've made her a deal. She maintains her position, but if she deviates in any way, she will be the first vampire monarch to be sentenced to jail time. She's in a complete bind. As business owners in the public eye, we make the perfect partners for her new, highly scrutinized life."
"So the load of bullshit she just told me about trusting my council..."
"Is not bullshit." Eric interrupted. "I believe she means it. She sought you out fiercely and told me what you said to her. That was stupid of you, but it made an impression. I think you should take the position. In fact, I insist. Go accept." Pam eyed him suspiciously, "Pam," he said seriously, "trust me. We need to be smart about our futures in this world. We are now perfectly situated to continue our old way of life while giving the appearance of mainstreaming. She needs us. I would not lead you into danger."
Pam stalked back to the office and opened the door. The Queen spun around, her hair a whirlwind. "I accept" Pam announced, closing the door with a shining black hip.
The queen clasped her hands together excitedly, "Excellent! I need you to begin immediately. Tonight, in fact."
"I'm working"
"I know, darling. I just hired you."
"For Eric."
"Mr. Northman has already given you the rest of the night off. I took care of it." The queen walked toward her, the white V of her cleavage glowing pale against the severe cuts of her suit.
Pam leaned against the door, eying her coolly. "What do you need me to do?"
"It's a secret," Sophie-Anne stated, coming to a halt just in front of her. "Please come closer. I don't trust the security in this office."
Pam leaned down and the queen brushed her hair aside, cradling the back of her head as she whispered in her ear. " I've missed you" she breathed, kissing Pam's cheek lightly before continuing, "You are the closest thing I have to a friend among our kind. Please let me try and make it right again." She kissed her cheek again softly. When Pam didn't move, she kissed along her jaw slowly, each touch of her lips a silent apology. She kissed Pam's lips lightly, pulling back and looking into the other vampire's eyes.
Pam wouldn't allow herself to feel relief at the worry she saw in Sophie-Anne's gaze, but she felt a tug of affection for the other vampire's lack of emotional control. She brushed her thumb over ruby red lips and murmured "You play your cards further from your chest than you think, your majesty."
"Which is why I need you, " came the soft reply.
Pam didn't care to examine the impulse that made her crush the smaller woman's mouth to her own with enough force to hurt. The queen clung to her desperately, her body as strong as the door Pam was pushed up against, but infinitely softer. Both her hands were buried in Pam's hair, her eyes shut tightly as she let out desperate gasps against the taller woman's mouth. "Please," the queen breathed, "Please let me make love to you. You hold me back when I start drifting away."
Pam pulled back and looked down intently, " You're serious."
"A lot has happened since Russell disappeared."
"I'll get my coat." Pam drawled, intrigued.
The two vampires walked out of the bar flanked by a pair of bodyguards. Eric raised his eyebrows at Pam, and she shrugged. The queen's black Mercedes pulled up and they got in, sitting next to each other, shoulders touching. "Just to warn you," Pam began, staring straight ahead, "I usually find other people's business tedious. Our contract needs a clause that allows me to interrupt in case of boredom."
"You won't be bored." Sophie-Anne assured her. The car started moving and the queen began describing the aftermath of her marriage: Her most trusted servants murdered, including two of her progeny. A month of evacuations due to death threats. Fires at her business holdings, one of which burned away all the tissue on her left arm when the ceiling collapsed. Weekly meetings with the AVL in which she was systematically stripped of her power. A show trial for the Authority that resulted in a week long silver binding. Finally, an hour later, the queen spat out the details of Hadley's disappearance, her tone gaining heat and finally dying down as she came to the conclusion. Pam listened thoughtfully and remained quiet after Sophie-Anne finished. Before, the queen would have interrupted her silence and demanded a reaction, but there was no expectation now, no rush. The car flew over a bump, and Pam found her shoulder occupied by red curls, the queen's head resting against her. She absentmindedly reached up and stroked her scalp, caught up in the new found vulnerability.
They sat in silence until the car slowed down. The door opened and a bodyguard reached in to offer his hand. Pam exited behind the queen and found herself staring at a gated townhouse covered in hanging vines and moss. Glass balls filled with candles lit the walkway, and Pam began to realize the extent of the queen's opulence. Centuries of networking and social vigilance had served her well. Sophie-Anne walked imperiously through the courtyard and ordered the guards to stay outside. A servant approached them in the foyer and Pam handed over her white trench coat, the moody outfit underneath out of place in the elegant home. The queen eyed her hungrily, arms crossed below her breasts. She sent the servant on her way and approached Pam, looking more like a CEO than royalty. "I told you everything." she confessed, voice low, "Let me show you how things will be different." She interlocked her fingers with Pam's and pulled her close as if they were dancing, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other looped around her neck, "Come upstairs".
The bedroom was clean and uncluttered, obviously not in heavy use. The bed was neatly made and candles lined the dresser. The ceiling was high, and the dark wood floor covered in thick rugs. Sophie-Anne closed the door and pulled Pam close again, kissing her. Pam responded, the queen's fervor intoxicating. She began unbuttoning the body-hugging vest, but Sophie-Anne stilled her hands. "Let this start with you," she whispered. She trailed a hand along Pam's waist as she walked behind the other vampire. They made eye contact in the mirror on the back of the door, and the queen inspected the back of Pam's corset top with her fingertips, undoing the laces slowly as she peppered her bare shoulders with gentle kisses. Pam shivered, the laces sliding against her skin as they traveled through their eyelets. In the mirror, she watched the garment loosen until the queen pulled it off, placing it on the dresser and resuming her position behind the other vampire. "Your body..." she swore softly in Pam's ear, skimming her hands over her breasts and torso. She knelt down and pulled gently on the vinyl mini skirt, drawing it over the swell of Pam's hips, down along the thigh high boots and tossing it aside. Pam wore red lace underwear cut to expose the swell of her ass . She motioned for Pam to turn around and knelt in front of her, drinking her in. The queen kissed the length of the shining boots, cradling her hips as she approached the top of her thighs. Pam, still pleasantly surprised by the night's turn of events, stood still, enjoying the sight of the monarch, fully dressed, worshiping her. As she looked down, Sophie-Anne turned her gaze upward and met Pam's darkly lined eyes. She softly mouthed the juncture of her thighs, running her tongue over the damp fabric. Pam felt herself flood with arousal. "Let me take care of you" the queen said, running a hand between her legs, lightly stroking.
Pam continued holding her gaze until she found herself scooped up and deposited gently on the bed, her legs hanging off the side. The queen resumed her position, sliding the underwear off and tossing them to the floor. She was between Pam's legs like a rolling storm cloud, thick strokes of her tongue lapping up Pam's wetness, her hands kneading hips, thighs and ass. Pam soaked up the sensation, eyes closed. She felt herself get wetter with each swipe of Sophie-Anne's tongue, the feeling between her legs silky and spiked with electricity. The queen teased her lightly as her hips began to roll in response, keeping her on the edge for an unbearable amount of time. Sophie Anne drew down the zippers on Pam's boots leaving the blonde vampire completely naked. In the blink of an eye, Pam was repositioned on the bed, her head on a pillow. The queen knelt over her and slowly undid the buttons on her vest, shucking it from her body with purpose, eyes never leaving Pam's.
"I was too proud to admit it before," she began, looking Pam in the eyes," but I've been wanting to do this with you for months. It seems like such a short time since we were last together, but after everything..."
"Stop." Pam interrupted firmly, caressing her cheek to clarify that she was not dismissing the sentiment.
"When I saw you chained on the table, I couldn't even look at you." Sophie-Anne continued, relaxing against the cool touch. "I wanted to tell you then. I never meant for things to hurt you..."
"Stop." Pam repeated softly. "I understand. Stop apologizing and kiss me." Her voice grew hard. "Never do it again."
Sophie-Anne nodded. She unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it behind her. Gathering Pam in her arms, she kissed her with intent. It made Pam nervous. The cadence of Sophie-Anne's mouth engaged Pam on every level: tender, vicious, melancholy, playful. A year before, the queen had lamented the inability of their kind to make love. Pam realized that, without previously acknowledging the extent of her involvement, that was exactly what they were doing. The realization shocked her and she pulled back, but when she caught a glimpse of Sophie-Anne's face, eyes dark, fangs protruding over swollen lips, she gave in and allowed the queen access to realms beyond her body. The queen touched her reverently, and Pam was too moved to protest. She came with a muffled groan as the queen circled her clit with her fingers, eyes boring into Pam's with a fearful fire. After Pam stopped shaking, the queen entered her abruptly and slowly fucked her until she came again, a hot wave pulsing through her cells. Sophie-Anne continued the onslaught until Pam's body simply stopped responding and she couldn't form a sentence. The queen let her rest while she got up and stripped, noting that Pam's eyes, although heavy, zeroed in on every newly exposed stretch of skin. Sophie-Anne climbed into bed and Pam's hands reflexively molded themselves to the queen's body as she was undone again.
Hours later, as dawn approached, they lay in comfortable silence. The candles were dying one by one. Pam lay on her side, Sophie-Anne wrapped around her like a chrysalis. The smaller vampire had attached her mouth to Pam's body in one form or another the entire night. It was currently resting against the wing of Pam's shoulder blade, soft lips absentmindedly pursing against the cool skin. They made full use of their nudity, their bodies pressed together at every possible contact point. Pam turned in the queen's embrace and they kissed deeply, hands ghosting unhurriedly over cheekbones, backs and shoulders, skin that responds to tenderness more than passion.
"We should go to ground, " Pam mumbled in Sophie-Anne's ear, enjoying the languid play of their tired bodies.
"This room is light-proof and I secured the door," Sophie-Anne answered, nestling her face in Pam's neck and biting softly. " I think that you should sleep beside me. As my advisor, what are your thoughts?"
Pam huffed in laughter and tried to remember everything that Eric had taught her about maintaining emotional distance as she toyed with the red hair fanned out over her skin."Perhaps just for today." she heard herself say. She felt the lips on her neck curve upward into a smile, and couldn't help grinning herself. Sophie-Anne sighed contentedly and circled her thumb over Pam's hipbone. They sank into their daily rest with limbs intertwined like marble carvings.
The sun rose outside and the house stood elegantly among its neighbors. Servants and spies came and went. It could have been a scene from any number of moments in history, an underground of secrets humming like a current through the unsuspecting neighborhood. Rosy light toweled the bricks dry of condensation. The windows on the second floor were black as night.
