Queen Duties

I left Quinn alone in our bedroom after spending an hour in his arms, silent. I didn't want to discuss what he'd missed just yet. I couldn't...a small part of me couldn't admit how rocky our marriage had been the last seven years. Duty of course, called. The board was handling the events so that I could grieve, only they didn't know the recent changes of that grief. I'd need to interview new assistants tomorrow. I had a meeting at 2 a.m. with Pam in Shreveport and I just hoped I didn't have to stake her.

The limo drove me to the club, no matter how many updates and improvements she made to the place it was still a redneck vampire bar. Ever since the war, things had gone down the shitter. Twelve years of trying to fix Bill's mess and I still had crap to clean up. My driver opened my door and I stepped out, fixing the bun on my head and making sure it was perfect before walking into the club.

Pam had spent the night trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Her new assistant, she forgot her name, had said Tara died, she and Eric were no longer speaking and she had a meeting with the Queen of Louisiana. She never mentioned a name and Pam didn't ask, she was too focused on all the news she was learning. Was she in some sort of warped world or having a nightmare? The club was booming with vampires and humans alike practically having sex on the dance floor, some things hadn't changed.

She looked up from behind the bar and her eyes widened at the site of Jessica Hamby in business attire, hair pulled back neatly into a bun. Seriously? How much more fucked up could this get. "Please don't tell me she's the Queen." She mumbled and headed for the door.

"Jessica, what are you doing here? Where's Bill?"

I rolled my eyes and knew that was one of her sarcastic remarks. "Your office is better suited for this." Without waiting on another word from her mouth, I turned and headed down the small hall to her office and opened the door, took a seat behind her desk and waited for her to enter.

When she did, before she could bitch about her chair like she always did I opened my laptop. "I got the latest on the masses picketing True Blood factories down in Thibodeaux. There may be a slight delay on deliveries from there, so I recommend finding a better supplier. The bombings seemed to have ceased around Baton Rouge." Lifting my head to look at her I smirked. "How's business?"

"What the fuck are you talking about cupcake? True Blood factories? Like I give a shit, I get my supply from Kiara. Secondly, don't come in here and try to boss me around, I'm older than you sweetheart don't forget that. And last, I don't know how the hell business is because last time I checked was about twenty two years ago."

I learned the year was 2035 and wondered how the hell I forgot 22 years let alone missed it. Seeing Jessica like this made me miss her giggly and impulsive ways. What the hell had happened to her? "Where is Bill, I thought he was the king...and your little boy toy Quinn...where's he?"

I stood and walked over to stand toe to toe with her. "Pam, don't forget who the Queen of Louisiana is, and it's not you. Bill is none of your concern, I haven't seen or spoken to him in years. Quinn is also none of your concern, so drop it." Making my eyes hard as I meant business, I turned and went back to the computer, typed away at something and then looked back at her. "Funny you mention Kiara, I didn't think you were making THAT much here, maybe I should raise your taxes." I smirked and added, "Speaking of, when will you be making your quarterly payment to me? You're due."

Pam cocked a brow at this revelation. Seeing a ring on her finger she put two and two together and figured the baby vamp married the tiger, well la-dee-dah good for her. It took all of her control not to backhand the young vampire, but had to remember she was 'not in this time.' How she had become Queen was beyond her.

Grinning, she looked at Jessica like she grew two heads. "What are you serious? Kiara's blood is that expensive? I knew the little bitch would eventually think her blood was that valuable. Quarterly payment....you're joking right. Nice try, princess but uh...soon as I wake from this dream I'll pay you. Now if you'll excuse me I have a business to run."

Before she could leave her office I sped over to the door and stood in her way. "Pam, must we go round and round at each meeting. I know you don't like me and well, I don't like you either but I have other things to do than to have to order you to be silvered and extract your teeth for lack of payment. If your maker wouldn't have done what he did I wouldn't need to tax all businesses in the area." I grinned, knowing they hadn't talked in years and the reason behind it being even better.

"Tell me, how is the Viking?"

Furrowing her brows in confusion Pam shook her head not understanding what the hell Eric had to do with anything. "What do you know about Eric? Tara? What happened because no one here can tell me shit. So if I knew how the Viking was I'd tell you but obviously I don't, so why don't you amuse me with your knowledge oh great Queen." She said sarcastically.

I heard the chime of my phone and pulled it out as she spoke, half listening to her. "Yeah, yeah. Carlos bring the car around will you. I hate to cut this short Pam but duty calls. I have more important things to attend to, so if you'll excuse me."

Rushing to the desk I grabbed the laptop and placed it back in the briefcase I carried. Walking back to the door I pat her shoulder, "Why don't you just call Eric. It'll do some good for you, you seem...paler. Your skin isn't like it used to be Pam." Opening the door I stepped out and turned around after another thought. "Oh, and don't forget about that payment...don't want what happened last time to happen again do we?" With a wink, I turned and walked towards the exit. After all these years you'd think they'd play better music than this racket.

Pam just cocked a brow and watched her walk away. What the hell had just happened? Maybe she'd take the little vampires advice and get the truth from the horses mouth; Eric Northman. Why they were not speaking and why Tara was dead were two things she needed to know and she needed to know NOW.

The sun would be up soon but the first thing tomorrow night, she was going see Eric whether he liked it or not.