The Procurer

Author's Note: This is based on something Bill said in the episode 9 Crimes(S3×04), in which he explains that he used to be Procurer for Sophie-Anne. This made me think about what this could mean especially due to the nature of Vampires, including their possessiveness and attitude as seeing Humans as objects. It was also interesting to see his interaction with the dancer that he procured for Russell and the rest to eat.

Most of this story is set pre-season 1(Just after Lorena released him), before Sookie Met Bill and attempts to 'rationalize' (but definitely not excuse it) some of his behaviour due to the past.

I've also not tried to write as a Bill before, so I'm not sure how much I can nail the character or not, but I'll give it a go.

Prologue: Our worlds are too different

Procure, Definition:

1. Obtain (something), especially with care or effort.

2. To obtain (someone) to be employed for sex (as for an individual or in a house of prostitution).

3. Persuade or cause (someone) to do something

Bill Compton was conflicted. It wasn't that he was trying to make a hard decision, on the contrary; he had already made the decision, it was more the emotions he was having on the aftermath of the decision. He had made this decision on what felt like 100 times before, and had no quarrels about it, so what was different about this?

One word, Sookie. His Sookie. She was supposed to be just another task, just another girl, another human to procure for one reason or the other. The reasons he never cared to learn about the others, he just got what he needed to do, done. Meet them. Feed them blood, make them trust him, make them fall in love, make them dependent, and then he would be done with them. He never sought them out after or asked about their well-being or situation. Yet, Sookie had been different. He hadn't followed through with it as he usually did. He found himself attached to her, in a way he had never felt with anyone from becoming a vampire. What had changed?

He had taken a break from it, procurement, before being asked by the vampire Queen of Louisiana to obtain a special telepath for her, apparently he had been recommended by the best in the business, and he couldn't say no to the queen. However, he had no idea how this telepath would change him, how she would go from the telepath, he had to obtain, to Sookie, who was his. It was because of all this, that he was finding making a simple telephone call, a menial task, such a challenge.

As he pressed the buttons on his phone to dial the number, he seemed to be hesitant. He had done this so many times before, in much worse situations. He had walked away as women screamed and tried grabbing at his feet, as he left them in bars, brothels and other terrifying places in the hands of other vampires, and this time he wasn't even doing that. He ignored the groans and squeals of grown men, as he drank their blood over a table, with those that had commissioned the job in the first place.

Biting the bullet, as he pressed the last button on his phone, a technology he would have considered in his younger days, as unimaginable, and waited to hear the soft voice of his Sookie for the last time. He had to do this; he had to let her go. It was for the best, and it would be the only way to save her from a fate most considered worse than death.

"Hello?... Hello?... Bill?" He heard a frantic voice on the other side of the phone. He could feel through the bond they had formed that she was worried. He was usually good at suppressing it, or at least ignoring it, but he didn't want to do that this time. He deserved to feel everything, this time. For doing such a thing to the person he had grown to care about so deeply.

"... Yes" he replied. It was his intention to be distant, as if it would somehow make it easier for Sookie. Perhaps it would make her question whether she knew him at all, and that would make her question their entire relationship. Anything that would make it better for her, even if it hurt him. He deserved that, more than anything.

"Are you hurt? I know the werewolves have you."Sookie continued. It stung that she was still concerned for his welfare, when he had not shown the same for her. If anything he had put her life in more danger.

"Nobody has me. I have left my life in Bon Temps, and I am leaving you." He replied, trying remove any or all emotion from his voice, if possible.

Though the blood bond, that he now regretted he had formed in the first place, the emotions seemed to confuse with his own. He couldn't tell if it was him feeling the dread and despair or whether it was her. Either way it didn't matter. He deserved to feel nothing but this, for what he had done to all those people. And most of all to Sookie, it was only now he could see what a monster he was. He had caused them nothing but pain, they had only suffered around him. As for Sookie, their worlds were to different, and so was their nature, even if she didn't know it.

What hurt the most, was that she didn't believe him. It was like she could feel his emotions as well, and tell the truth apart from the lie, something others never registered in the past.

No, he had to do this; he had to stay strong and not be weak. He couldn't risk it, otherwise his past would haunt him and fight him. If not for that, he had to keep her safe, away from Lorena, Sophie-Anne and the king he had just confirmed his allegiance to.

"Believe what you want. You are no longer of concern to me. Do not try to find me. I do not wish to be found." He made sure his voice sounded cold, as if that would somehow make it easier for her to hate him. Without another moment's thought, he ended the call, not wishing to hear her any longer.

If he had the need to breath, he would do just that. If he could walk forever, he would do that, just to shut out everything and everyone. He truly was a monster.

"William." He heard the impatient tone of his maker voice. He was no longer obliged to do as she said, yet the magic in his blood seemed to always have the instinct to do so. He turned slowly to see the king himself, standing next to her, with his arrogance and importance radiating across the room.

"Mr Compton, your maker tells me you have quite the unique talent for acquiring things." Bill lifted his head slightly, the tone in the words not going could tell where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"Yes, your majesty." Bill answered out of respect if not anything else. He spotted the cruel smirk on his makers face. She knew, he hated talking or remembering this time of his life, and she enjoyed torturing him over it, as she put it, it was who he really was. Maybe that was true, that was now, who he was, but he hadn't always been. Not before Sarah withered and died in front of him, not before he had to bury his own son, and not before his small but human life was snatched from him, by a black-hearted and cold woman. The king seemed to be expecting something more from him than a simple yes. He wanted evidence or a claim to back it up. Clearly his maker had promised the king something, and she was playing a game with him to see how far he would go. The inconvenience of it was, that he had no choice but to play along, If he was going keep Sookie safe, if he was going to keep what she was, a secret never to be revealed.

"I spent almost half a century with The Crimson Society." he had been a while since he had put any thought into that part of his life, and this was intentional. He despised who he was back then, the monster he had become. Though the society was long dead by now, it didn't mean that's its chilling effect and end was ignored by the vampire world.

"Do tell, William. I am afraid I only know the story second-hand, your majesty. My progeny and I, we parted company at that time." He glared at his maker At this moment. Why must she torture him so? What did she have to gain?

"The Crimson Society! You are surprising Mr Compton, especially considering your previous feelings for a human. " The king seemed to pause in thought at that moment, before moving on. "I always considered them Sanguanistan fools, the ones I crossed paths with, however their techniques and cruelty even to each other, was always entertaining to watch. Please, tell us more of your time with them, while Talbot is preparing the second course!".

Bill caught the eye of his maker at that point, the familiar cold glint, and a smirk plastered across her face. He quickly changed eye contact to king. "Of course, your majesty, I first came into contact with them, just after Lorena had released me."

Bill took an unneeded deep breath. If his and Sookie's worlds were to different now, there was not a word to describe the oxymoron of his membership of The Crimson Society. It was going to be a long night telling this story, perhaps the longest in his life.