Chapter 10
Pam did not think she had got it so wrong it a long time. She had thought she had been at the centre of Bill's life. She had been happy and secure in that knowledge. She had believed it.
But if that had been the truth, then he would have told her he had no intention of letting her into the meeting room. Instead he had kept her dangling at a tantalising distance. He had made no attempt to correct her, when he had known what she had thought.
And he had known – of that she was sure.
Her eyes wondered the room. She did not want to be out here. She did not want to be on the outside. She belonged in there – in that room, at his side.
"Are you ok?" said Jess as she came to his side. She had been having a rather interesting conversation with Quentin when Bill had called the sheriffs in to the office. She had been sorry he had done so. It was nice to talk to a vamp who was so near her own age. And yet he had seen and done so much...
He was not mature, but he was not baby, that was for sure.
"No," Pam said in a quiet but furious voice. She had to get out of here but she was not going to give the others the satisfaction of thinking she could not cope. She was the queen of Louisiana. Coping was what she did. Her eyes feel on Sookie. "Keep her away from me."
She was sure the woman was not going to approach her, for she had to have a death wish to do so. She had to know that if she came within ten feet of her she would lose her life.
"Just ignore the bitch," said Jess as she stepped round to cover Sookie from the queen's view. She was not going to let that wannabe get in the way of Pam's night.
"I'm the fucking queen – not her. When is tinkers going to take the hint?"
XXX
What Bill had said to the sheriffs Eric thought was no more than obvious. That they were to show respect to their partner from the other states, who was their equal in their area now – that they were to take no unnecessary risks – that they were to check in with their vassals daily – and they were to report anything they thought suspicious – on pain of the truth death.
He was thrilled to learn that for once the king was thinking with his brain and had paired him with his maker. He would have accepted no other. And he knew he had to have someone to keep him in check. It had been a long time since he had felt this emotional.
Godric would stabilise him.
And yet deep down in his soul, it was not his maker he was yearning for.
He was so close to her; she was in the very next room. This was the closest they had been for any prolonged amount of time for months. And he wanted nothing more than to reach out. To hold her once more.
He knew the most likely thing was that she was going to block him. But the desire to connect to her through their bond was overwhelming. And so he reached for her.
And when he did he felt anger. Before he had gone in to the meeting with Godric he had caught just a glimpse of her and he knew she had been shaken by some thing. It was only as he felt what she did that he finally clicked on to why.
Even as a baby vamp she had never liked being excluded from the things he had spoken about with his own maker. It had always unsettled her to think that things were going on she had no idea about.
And so now she was a queen consort – and she was at least theoretically more powerful than she had ever been when she had been at his side. And yet she had never been so shut out.
She never had been willingly to play the long game.
Poor Pam, he thought with a smirk. Genuinely, he pitied her – but, oh, the irony...
If there had been one mistake Bill had made that night it was when he had left her outside. She was not going to take kindly to it. And it was going to make him look like good cop at last.
"I will check in with all of you twice a week from now on, but you are of course free to contact me or come to the palace as and when you need too. My door is always open. Any questions?" finished Bill and to Eric annoyance there was.
What he had said had been plain enough – he did not see anything to question. But of course the young eager sheriffs were desperate to impress.
There was only one monarch he wanted to impress though.
XXX
When her husband came out of his office, Pam tried to avoid his eyes. She was not going to allow him to see her hurt and disappointed. But as soon as he saw her, he vamped it to her side.
"I trust everything has been fine in my absence, darlin'?" he said as he came to her side and put a hand on her hip which she was quick to shake off.
She knew she should not embarrass him in front of everyone – and she was not going to let Eric have the satisfaction of seeing them fight. She had to cover fast.
"I can feel the bleeds coming. I don't want anyone to know. May I have permission to retire?" she asked, keeping her voice controlled.
Bill looked at her confused. He was not so much of an idiot to understand there was something wrong, but he was enough of an idiot to not understand why.
"Of course."
She did not need to know any more and so she turned and made her way toward the stairs without saying anything else.
"What is wrong with the queen?" he said as he went to the side of his progeny.
"She thought she was going to go in to the meeting room with you – and I thought she was going to as well. Are you trying to piss her off?" asked Jess.
"No," said Bill – he had just assumed. As had her majesty apparently. "Jess, I had to delegate to you girls tonight, I had no intention-"
"Your majesty," a voice cut in.
"Sherriff Fitzroy, what can I do for you?"
He did not see that behind him, another of his sheriffs was vamping up the palace stairs.
XXX
Pam had had a hand on the handle of her room when she had felt that intoxicating presence behind her. She did not think she was ever going to understand why he could do what he did to her. She only knew she did not want it to stop.
His foots steps slowed as he came towards her but she did not turn to face him. He knew she was upset, he didn't need to see it. And he had only come to taunt her some more, she told herself.
His arm came round her body, and his huge hand covered her petite one.
His lips were millimetres from the back of her head – and then he closed the gap, and kissed her.
Her involuntary shiver angered her pride.
"Pamela," he whispered, his Swedish accent unhidden – always a sign on deep emotion.
And so he had not come to mock her.
Pushing down, she opened the doors to her rooms and led him in. And yet she would not turn to face him for fear the spell might break.
As soon as the door was shut he put his hands on her shoulders. "He was wrong to shut you out tonight."
"His majesty will do as he will. It is not for you to question."
"Do not give me that submissive bullshit. That is not my girl, not the Pam I raised," Eric soothed as he turned her to face him, patience breaking at last. Cupping her cheeks, he let out a deep breath. "We both know you should have been in that meeting room tonight. You are a fireside general, my girl."
"I should have. I should have been at his side, I have that right. How dare he shut me out?" She asked furiously, agreeing, but Eric shook his head. He was at least glad to see her fire once more.
"No. Not at his side. At mine."
Her expression changed and she looked up at him shocked. Had so much changed that she was shocked that he wanted her to stand at his side?
"I was so very wrong to hit you. And I am sorry Pamela, for my absence. I was wrong to stay away from you so long. Sweetheart," he sighed as he grazed her nose with his own. "Please forgive me."
"Forgiveness must be earned."
He smirked. "So it must. Come to the club, tomorrow, your majesty. I will prove my loyalty."
She nodded, yet she tried to keep her expression indifferent. "I will see you tomorrow then."
She was not going to come round to him easy – he could see it in her that she was going to make him chase her as she had used too... when they had been so young... and when he had been in love with her...
As he was once more.
As he went out the door he turned once more to look his progeny up and down, to imprint her just as she was then on his memory.
"You are mine." He told her once more.
Now all he had to do was convince her of it.
Walking down the stairs, he felt as if he could fly – and perhaps that night he would. He would get her back, by hook or by crook.
Yet for that night, his work at the palace was done.
He did not know if King Bill saw him descend the stairs or not. He didn't care. Let the entire world see... and let them know who and where he had been. Once he had found Godric, he then found his little fae friend.
"We're leaving."
It was a quiet walk back across the grave yard for Eric and Sookie. Godric had decided to go straight back to the house Shreveport and he had agreed to look in at the club for Eric before they closed up. And so the two who had been so close until just a day or two ago, were left alone.
The two of them made it all the way to the porch before Sookie spoke her mind over what she had seen that night.
"When?" she said as she turned round to face him, walking over to the rocker rather than going in to the house where he had for such a small amount of time made her so happy.
"When what, Sookie? You need to give me more of a clue."
"When did you fall for Pam again?" she knew why he had gone upstairs. She had felt it. And she knew she didn't make him feel that way.
"The moment I knew I couldn't have her anymore," He shrugged honestly. He owed her his honesty.
It wasn't as if he didn't love Sookie, for he did. But the fire had burnt so hot in Italy – all that were left now they were home was the embers and the memories.
Nodding, she did not allow a single tear to fall. The two of them were adults. And so they could do this like adults. No half truths... no tantrums.
"I didn't think it was going to be able the chase for you."
"Neither did I," he sadly nodded. "Sookie... for what it is worth, I am sorry."
"I know you are." She said as she got up and stood by his side. "Thank you for a blissful, loved filled couple of months. And thank you for being honest."
Unable to do anything else, he took her into his arms for the final time as a lover. The two of them had been something special. "It was real, wasn't it?" she asked innocently.
He nodded as a bloody tear feel on to her golden head.
"It was,." Realising her, he walked down the stairs. The last thing he heard her say that night was the only thing he didn't need to be told.
"Go get your baby back."
Please review!
Author Note: Please forgive (1) the length of time since the last update and (2) the characterisations here. After a re read I am not entirely happy with the dialogue, but have to post some time.
Unfortunately, at the end of last November, my mum went in to hospital. She is all better now, but that knock me off my stride with writing for a while. I got back into writing just before Christmas and this is actually the second draft of this chapter – the first was lost when my last lap top died a death on Boxing Day (I also lost my Nano project, the reason I didn't post in November – I was in Pam's words, pissed!). I have learnt my lesson – I back up ten times a day now! By the time I was ready to start writing again, my final uni semester had decided to take over my life without consulting me. Nevertheless, I really did not intend to be gone for six months. I am so sorry guys.
But I am back and eager to finish this story, which I will do. I have not given up – I hope you guys haven't either!
Hope you all had a good easter!