Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Sookie Stackhouse Universe. All characters mentioned in the books belong to Charlaine Harris.
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Chapter 11
The fire alarm system malfunctioned. Apparently vampires were not the type to check on those sorts of things. The sprinklers went on, people screamed and the bar descended into chaos. Combined with the alarm noise, the vampires were distracted enough for Bo to slip by. He zipped open his backpack and pulled out the softball bat faster than he would have thought possible. His first order of business were the vampires guarding Rose. He swung the heavy bat into the stomach of one of the guards, knocking him down long enough for the teens to make their escape. He whispered a quick apology to the prone vampire. It wasn't in his nature to hurt others, but Bo doubted the man would have given up Rose so easily. Bo grasped Rose's arm and rushed toward the exit. He could hear the bloodsucker dressed in pink (clearly the leader in the Sheriff's absence) yelling orders, but the humans drowned out most of what she was saying. A flurry of movement on the floor allowed for the two to bolt out of there.
The water from the sprinklers smelled disgusting. For all Bo knew, it had probably been centuries since they were actually used. Halfway through the door, Bo caught a glimpse of the Chanel lady. Her make-up and outfit were ruined. Pure rage distorted her milkmaid features. The boy picked up his speed. That was not a battle he wanted to face anytime soon.
Bo's body felt like lead. His confrontation with Tim did little to prepare him for the scary female vampire. Like Mr. Compton, she walked silently, as though he was the prey and she the predator. Only luck had saved him from meeting an early end tonight.
He never, ever wanted to visit Fangtasia again.
The fresh, open night sky greeted the teens. The stars were mostly obscured by the lights of the city, but the moon shone brightly. People were rushing to their cars with haste. Bo could hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance. Most of the vampires were still inside the bar, perhaps trying to figure out what the hell had happened. It wouldn't be long, however, until they would come for him.
A black limousine pulled up in front of them. Before Bo could even process what was happening, the door opened.
"Get in." Mr. Compton's voice was colder than Antarctica. Bo and Rose didn't argue, but got into the car.
Bo had never been inside a limo before. The leather upholstery alone probably cost more than the rent for his apartment back in NYC. The floor was carpeted with what appeared to be tiger fur; on the ceiling, a large glass chandelier hung from a hook. The windows were covered with purple shades bearing a distinctive royal design. Everything in the car was classier than Bo could imagine. There were even fancy wine bottles in a basket in the center of the car.
Mr. Compton looked displeased—one glance could tell you that. His pinstripe suit was wrinkled and the soles of his shoes were caked with mud. Bo tried to keep his eyes on the ground, but it was difficult. His curiosity ate at him. Rose shifted around by his side, a pained expression in her eyes. Noticing the rather strong grip he had on her forearm, Bo released her. She relaxed slightly.
The vampire gave them a minute to catch their breath.
"I didn't think you would be this stupid. You didn't seem like the type to rush headlong into danger. Apparently, I was wrong." Mr. Compton was not a happy camper.
"How did you find out?" Bo said after a short silence.
"A little kangaroo told me."
"You broke into my house?" Bo said in disbelief.
Mr. Compton crossed his legs. "You weren't there. I was worried."
Bo sensed another presence in the car. "Is he...?"
"He's sleeping in the trunk."
A faint banging against metal could be overheard. Bo didn't comment. "Did he tell you everything?"
"Yes. It surprises me Eric acted so brashly, so quickly, but he's always been a hothead in his own way. I didn't think he would do it so near to the elections, though." Mr. Compton rubbed his temples.
"And putting out a hit on me was his way of dealing with his emotional hang-up over my mom?" Bo was annoyed. Where was a psychologist when you needed one?
"The only thing Eric knows about you is your name and the connection to your mother. It's best we keep it that way; we don't want anyone else finding out about your... condition."
"Excuse me, but am I the only one confused by what's happening? Where are we going? What 'condition' are you talking about?" Rose interrupted.
"You brought your girlfriend to Fangtasia?" Mr. Compton's frown deepened.
"She's not my girlfriend." Bo retorted.
"This 'girlfriend' has a name you know." The girl interjected.
"Rose, now is not the time." Bo glared at her.
Mr. Compton's mouth formed a thin, straight line. "Your name is Rose? You... wouldn't happen to be one of the Bellefleur's would you?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah. My dad's the Sheriff of Bon Temps. How did you know I was one?"
"I see..." Silence filled the tense air. "Is that a bite mark on your neck?"
"Bo bit me."
The accused frantically waved his hands in defense. "But she asked me to."
Mr. Compton said nothing. Most of the taste of Rose's blood had disappeared from Bo's mouth. He was back to normal, his normal at least. He licked his lips. Rose squirmed around, her hand nearly touching his. She felt as uncomfortable as he did.
Bo decided to change the subject. "Why didn't you tell me my mother worked for vampires, Mr. Compton?"
"I didn't think it was important at the time."
"Not important? This is my mother we're talking about! Everything about her is important to me! She's my mom!" Bo shouted. His emotions were running wild. The night was turning out far worse than he'd anticipated. Too many unanswered questions were filling his head. "You keep leaving me in the dark, saying I'm in danger, but how can I protect myself if I don't even know what wants to kill me?"
"Bo, do you know what you are? How important your existence is?" The vampire's expression was cold and collected.
"What are you talking about?" Bo was a regular joe. Sure, there was that... but Bo didn't think it was that big of a deal.
"There are only a select few who know who you are; your mother made sure of that. And now, it appears, two more will be joining that group."
Tim stopped banging the inside of the trunk. Suddenly, everyone's attention fell on Bo. Warmth spread over his cheeks. He wasn't used to being the center of discussion.
"You mean... the whole vampire-human thing? So... you were telling the truth? Does that mean I was turned when I was a baby? Vampires can't have children, so how..."
Mr. Compton gazed softly at Bo. "You are right. Vampires are infertile. But you were not turned. Otherwise, you would be fully vampire. Thus, as much as it is against my nature to say, the impossible has become possible."
"So Bo's a human-vampire hybrid?" Rose couldn't look more fascinated than she already was. Bo could almost see her brain typing up a column about him.
"Yes. As unfeasible as it sounds, Bo is a fusion of both species. The product of a human mother and a vampire father."
"Who's the father then?" said Rose.
Bo was speechless.
Mr. Compton turned to him. "Do you truly want to know, Bo? It won't be a pleasant surprise, I assure you. This may not be something you're ready to accept."
Bo found himself at a crossroads. It wasn't as if he didn't want to find out who his father was. When he was younger, he even dreamed of it. A father to play football with, a father to talk about girls to, a father he could look up to...
But Bo was over such things. No, that was a lie. More than anything, Bo was afraid of finding out. If his father really was... a vampire, then a lot of his fantasies would be gone in an instant. All the daydreams about fishing off the coast of Cape Cod, learning how to drive, all of it would be gone. No reunion between his folks, no watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. His father was a vampire. Someone who would outlive him by hundreds of years. And Bo would change. He would grow old, shrivel up, and die. His father would be the same forever, an ageless force of inhumanity. Did his father even care that Bo existed in the first place? No. Bo didn't want to let go of his fantasies just yet. This revelation couldn't come at a more disastrous hour.
Bo shook his head. It was one of the hardest decisions he'd made in his life. "Another time maybe. I... I don't think I can handle any more information tonight." His mind felt like mush; any more surprises and he might go bonkers.
Mr. Compton nodded. "Another day, then. You can understand why it's so important to keep you secret, yes? If any more people find out, especially vampires, your life as you know it would be but a pleasant memory."
"You mean... I can't write an article on it? But Bo is a miracle of science!" Rose exclaimed. "He could help cure diseases! He could—"
Mr. Compton turned to Rose, his eyes bright and distinct. There was a glassiness to them. The darks of his pupils contrasted with the whites surrounding them. His voice came out smooth and persuasive. A weird, tingly feeling arose in Bo.
"You won't remember anything that happened tonight, Rose Bellefleur. You were at your friend's house watching a movie. It ended late. The bite on your neck was from a mosquito. You never met Bo or me. You've never even heard of a vampire bar named Fangtasia."
The driver opened the door. Rose's expression had a trance-like quality to it. A large, well lit house lay in the background. They were in Bon Temps before Bo even knew it. Taking her hand, the driver led her to the sidewalk. Bo almost shouted her name. Mr. Compton stopped him.
"Don't bother. She doesn't remember who you are anymore."
"What? Why? What did you do to her?"
"I glamoured her. Hypnotism for vampires, you could say."
"Then... she won't remember me? She'll forget everything that happened tonight?"
"Yes. My apologies, but it is best to keep humans out of this. Your girlfriend included."
"For the last time, she is not my girlfriend!"
"Then stop staring at her backside."
Bo could swear he heard snickering coming from the back of the car. He fought his embarrassment and tried to get angry again.
"A word of caution: It's best you keep your distance from her."
Bo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "You're not the boss of me."
"Unless you want to endanger her, I would suggest you be quiet about this entire thing."
Bo regarded Mr. Compton crossly. "You mean the whole vampire/human stuff?
"Yes."
His anger rose. As if the night could get any worse, the vampire was lecturing him now? "What if I don't want to?"
Mr. Compton moved fast; Bo barely caught himself from falling over. He was instantly at Bo's side, his face only inches away. Did vampires not understand the concept of personal space? "Don't. Fight. Me. On. This. Sookie asked me to watch over you. Unless you would like to be probed and prodded by the American government or any other organization, I strongly advise you to keep your mouth shut."
The teen clenched his teeth. "I'm not some pet you can boss around! My mom may have asked for your help, but I certainly don't want it."
"Be that as it may, you don't have a say in this."
Bo scooted to the opposite end of the seat, putting as much distance as he could between them. "Shut up! You keep leaving me here without any of your so-called 'protection'! What do you want me to do? Give me some information, dammit!"
"The more information you have, the more danger you will encounter. I can't risk that."
Bo groaned, banging his head against the car seat. This was going nowhere. He did not have the strength to keep going with Mr. Mysterious. Struggling to control his frustration, he counted to ten, inhaling and exhaling until he felt calmer.
At last, he spoke. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"
Mr. Compton relaxed his sharp features a tad. "I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot. Believe me: I am as frustrated as you are about this entire situation. But let me protect you in the best way that I can. I've done a lot of things in my life I regret. Please... I don't want to break another promise."
"So I'm just a promise, then?"
His voice became warmer. "No... not at all. I don't want you to think that. Sookie asked me to help you, yes. But that doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you as well. You're a good kid. Perhaps a bit naïve, but still, a good kid. Can you please just trust me a little?"
Bo mulled that over. "Only a little. I want something in return, though."
"That would depend on what you want."
"Knowledge. Anything you can find on mom's murder, I want you to tell me straight away. Got it? The moment you hear something, you relay that information to me."
"I can comply with that."
"I'll keep you to it, then."
They spent the rest of the trip in quiet contemplation.
