Bill Compton

Within minutes I was driving down the highway heading back to Bon Temp. And every mile that brought me closer to home I grew more certain that I would take the project. I was certain that somehow the Vampire Sheriff would prove beneficial in any future dealings with the Vampire Queen. One thing was for sure, Eric's mind gave no indication that he knew of any plot by the Queen. On the contrary he was focused on keeping this Bill Compton in-check.

The quiet in my car was suddenly broken. Almost simultaneously I was startled and then filled with a tickling sensation of bubbles in my tummy. It was Preston. I frantically rummaged through my bag while trying to keep the car steady. It was hard not to feel gitty when he would call me. Tonight was Wednesday. I'm not quite sure how it started, but somehow it had become our routine to talk every Wednesday.

"Hi," I said into the receiver.

"Are you playing with vampires tonight," he started out. I bit my lower lip.

"Yes and no," I said ambiguously.

"Well, I'll make sure to keep my clothes on," he teased. And of course he sparked off a whole new set of images in my mind.

"You know I have the appointment tonight next door," I reminded him.

"Yes, I remember," he said. "I told Mòr and Emery. They agreed to keep your secret."

"I owe you one," I said.

"You don't owe me anything," he said gently. "But I do owe them." This was one thing I really liked about Preston. There were never strings attached to anything he did for me. "Keep in mind that if someone gets hurt tonight, there will be consequences," he reminded me.

"Spending time with you isn't a punishment," I said. After the whole Fangtasia episode came down not only did Mòr and I get an ear full, but Preston had to spent every minute with me for several days. It was a difficult consequence to live with—not. It was heaven.

"You'll never guess who I just saw," I said and began to recall every detail of my unexpected meeting with the Vampire Sheriff of Area 5, as well as my theories. Of course I failed to tell him about certain details. I figured that probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Too soon I was pulling up the circle drive in front of Old Mr. Compton's house. I turned the engine off and reluctantly ended my conversation with Preston. Within my range I picked up several fae signatures approaching. I walked toward them meeting them where the woods met the lawn.

"Mòr," I chimed. I looked over his head and saw Emery the Pureblood fairy a few steps behind him. He was as beautiful as ever. His long fine dark hair was longer than mine and it framed his delicate feminine features. He was beautifully graceful to the point of being deadly in itself.

"My Lady," said Emery. He was a tracker, but also part of the King's personal guard. My Gram-pa taught me well so with not too much hesitation I extended him my hand. Emery gently pressed his forehead to the back of my hand. "The King, your fourth father, has summoned me to your side. I am at your service."

"Thank you Emery," I said. Mòr winked at me and I couldn't help but smile. Emery being sent was quite a significant gesture. Especially in light of the fact that I had never met my Great Great Grandfather.

"You smell like vampire," snorted Mòr. He wiggled his noise.

"Yeah," I said. "I had an appointment with none other than the Vampire Sheriff of Area 5."

"What," said a stunned Mòr. "Get out! You best be careful with that vampire."

"Preston isn't a fairy," pointed out Emery matter-of-fact. Okay, I thought silently not following him. "He's elf. He will not share you." Ouch. The taste of his thoughts were bitter and sour. I felt like I'd been slapped. How dare him accuse me of sleeping around with two men. I didn't much appreciate it, even if he was mostly thinking it.

"How dare you," I said firmly. My eyes narrowed. Mòr cleared his throat.

"Hey come on now," said Mòr. "Sookie ain't that kind of girl."

"I meant no offense," said Emery. His painfully beautiful face was strained with confusion. I focused and saw he was sincere. But despite his sincerity it didn't erase his many assumptions, which I didn't care for. I was now without a doubt irritated and now I was late to my next appointment. I turned sharply and marched away from the two faeries.

"What did I say," I heard Emery's strained voice ask Mòr.

"Dude, chill," said Mòr. "I'll explain later." I nodded my head. You have to be kidding me! I quickened my pace to get them out of my range of hearing before I tried to telepathically uproot a tree and hurl it at the two faeries.

When I got to the door I knocked more harshly than was necessary. The door opened and standing on the other side of the threshold was the vampire. An average looking vampire if there was such a thing. He had a rugged masculine quality. His brow was as strong and his jaw as hard as I remembered.

"Good evening," I said suddenly having to muster up the will to follow through with my big bright idea. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse. We had an appointment this evening."

"Oh my god," he thought quietly. For a fraction of a second every thought in his mind went silent except for me. I felt I was suddenly standing in a sauna. The heat rose up and over my cheeks. I was flattered.

"Yes, Ms. Stackhouse," he said out loud. "Please let me help you with that." He reached out and took my large portfolio. It was filled with preliminary design concepts for the house.

"Absolutely beautiful," he thought privately. I couldn't help but smile. He had imagined Sookie Stackhouse would be plain, simple, short, and porkly. I followed him into what looked like his study. My eyes darted quickly assessing my surroundings. I didn't remember the wall paper being so old and peeling.

"I thought we could meet in here," he said.

"Not a problem," I smiled. I took the portfolio he had placed on the coffee table and opened it. "I hope you don't mind," I said. "Since I've been in this house before I drew up some ideas based on our phone conversation."

"No that's fine," he said watching me closely. "Can I get you something to drink," he asked. "Water or soda?"

"No thank you," I said. "I'm fine." Though I was picking up streams of thoughts here and there, this vampire was by far the hardest to read. Unlike the vampire Sherriff whose thoughts were loud, and who was also a very strong broadcaster – this Bill Compton had a quiet mind. I had to really strain to listen carefully.

"I've never worked with a designer before," he said. I looked up and met his gaze. He softened his features. I couldn't help but be fascinated. He was actually breathing though he didn't have to. He thought mimicking these subtle human movements would help put me at ease.

"We can start with a tour of the house," I said. "If you don't mind." Something about my manners seemed to intrigue him immensely. He found my lack of fear and easiness appealing, as well as a lot of other things. Did vampires ever think of anything else?

"I don't mind," he said extending his hand to me. I took it and he helped me up. His southern manners were obvious. Gran would be impressed.

I quickly took my hand back once I was standing. The contact made it easier for me to pick up some random thoughts. He seemed to decide almost instantly that he would seduce me instead of glamouring me. But then he noticed from the air rustling around me as I stood, the scent of another vampire. I was impressed. He actually recognized the scent. He was suddenly not so composed of mind.

I felt a bit anxious. My attention went to the fae signatures within my range and I relaxed a bit. Mòr and Emery were very close by. I crossed the foyer with the vampire and entered the dining room. The house was dark and was lit only with candles. They were everywhere. The soft light they gave off created a romantic and old world feeling. Again I felt a surge coming on. I was really uncomfortable.

"What's with all the candles," I asked politely.

"Oh," he said. "I'm sorry. There are some problems with the electrical wiring in the house."

"Oh," I said.

"I need some help with acquiring an electrician," he said.

"I can make some phone calls," I said. "Are you interested in keeping this space a dining room?"

"Yes," he said. "I'd like to keep and restore as much of the furniture as possible."

"That shouldn't be a problem. I know a great restorer. And he's reasonably priced," I said. I made the circuit around the dining room and then followed him back into the foyer. I decided it was time to get what I came for. "I couldn't help but notice that you and Jesse Compton share the same surname," I said. "Is this a coincidence?"

"Jesse Compton was my great grandchild," he said. "This home was built by my father. I was actually born in this home." His voice took on a nostalgic tone. I had to swallow hard. It was hard to imagine how someone could stand by and allow his own grandchild to be murdered. Granted there was no indication that he had any knowledge of the true cause of Jesse's death. But still he was suspicious and he did nothing.

My thoughts quickly went to my own Great Grandfather. First of all, he would never leave me a sitting duck like Bill Compton did his own great grandchild. And if God forbid I was murdered, Great Grandfather wouldn't ever sit back idly. He'd kill the whole lot of them. I had to work hard to keep my strong feelings in check.

"Jesse never mentioned you," I said as politely as I could manage. It took a lot to keep my temper in check.

"My family wasn't aware of my existence," he said somberly. Those words provided a stream of images of when and how he was made vampire. It was more than I was prepared to deal with. I respectfully back pedaled elsewhere in his mind.

"I see," I said. "What prompted you to return to Bon Temp?"

"When Jesse passed away, ownership of the house reverted back to me," he said. But what he thought was entirely different. Even his quiet mind couldn't keep the truth completely hidden. I swallowed hard as we made our way to the candle lit parlor and living room. It took every ounce of my will to keep a straight face.

What Bill Compton wasn't saying was that he was assigned to come to Bon Temp since last year. Of course he didn't want to. He made every excuse to slow his arrival. That is until he received a call letting him know that Jesse Compton had passed away. Even then he waited several more months to come to Bon Temp.

"So where did you call home before returning to Bon Temp," I asked taking a closer look at the parlor. I needed a break from the information over load. Looking around it was hard to estimate the true condition of the rooms by candlelight.

"New Orleans," he said answering my question. Interesting.

"Isn't that where the Vampire Queen of Louisiana resides," I asked absently as he escorted me to the livingroom. My question caught him off guard. He hadn't expected me to be up on certain details of his hierarchy. This was both a good thing and a bad thing. He was now feeling leery.

"Yes, she does," he said cautiously. I figured I throw him another curve ball.

"So who's Andre to the Queen," I asked. Though his face was nothing but cold calm, his mind about chocked on my question.

"Do you know Andre," he asked me. This vampire was getting paranoid. I had to turn and hide my smile. He was thinking he was being set-up by his Queen.

"Not really. You could say.....we've never been officially introduced," I said coyly. I felt his eyes fix on my every move. "Are you interested in keeping the current functions of each of these rooms in tact?"

"Ughm," he hesitated. "Yes." I saw that though he was loyal to the Queen it wasn't out of love. Far from it. He was begrudgingly loyal and only out of necessity. He did everything to live under the radar of anyone's heavy hand.

"That's good especially if you don't plan on keeping the home," I pointed out. "It will keep its resale appeal if you keep the floor plan traditional."

"I plan on staying indefinitely," he said.

"So you don't think you'll grow restless mainstreaming," I asked again feigning disinterest as I followed him toward the steps. His eyes widened for a split second. Not long enough to have been noticed by a normal human, but I wasn't your standard human. He was re-accessing me and I couldn't help but mentally scoff. As if I would have been that easy.

"I don't think so," he said. "I'm actually quite happy to be back." He was partially sincere, I'll give him that.

One thing was becoming clear from my poking around Bill Compton's mind. He was a tortured soul. He saw himself above humans and yet he would give anything to be one again. He also believed vampires to be a superior race, yet he hated what he was.

"So have you checked in with the Vampire Sherriff of this area," I asked as we entered the first bedroom to the right. I had to smile. Both at the effect my question had on the vampire and the fact that Mòr and Emery were a lot closer than I had figured. I was surprised when I realized that their registers were from the other space. They were hovering. I was distracted and almost ran into vampire Bill. He had froze in the doorway.

"Yes, several nights ago," he said stepping out of my way. Yep. It seemed my knowledge would throw a wrench in his plan or maybe not.

"How do you see using this room," I asked him.

"I'd like to convert this into a master suite with a spa size bathroom," he said. I wondered if it was a vampire thing, because the Vampire Sherriff was also wanting a spa bathroom.

"Are you familiar with the Vampire Sheriff," he asked.

"Who Eric," I said absentmindedly as I made my way past him. I was really glad I had asked the Sheriff his name. "I guess that would depend who you ask," I said coyly. I had to turn my face away to hide my grin. This was way too much fun. But it was revealing a wealth of information from his quiet mind. After reviewing this room and a few others we headed back into his study.

"As you'll see I've come up with three concepts," I explained as he went through my boards. "It's a starting point. If you'd like we could take elements from each and combine to create a different option."

"I like this," he said pointing to the one I considered a throwback to the antebellum period with a modern edge. I told Bill I would draft a proposal based on that design along with some additional work he needed done. Afterwards he walked me to my car. I could sense Mòr and Emery in the woods now though the vampire seemed to be completely oblivious of them.

"If you make it to Fangtasia any time soon," I told Bill. "Please say hi to Eric's child for me." God, this was way too much fun. I got in my car and once I pulled out to the main road I busted out laughing.

It would seem from my probing that Bill Compton was simply a means to an end. I needed to talk to someone while my mind was still bouncing. I hit the speed dial and Preston answered after a few rings. "How'd it go," he asked. The sound of his voice put a smile on my face.

"Well I got a lot more than I expected," I said. "Do you remember when I told you about my cousin Hadley?"

"The one that fell to the vampires," he asked.

"The very one," I said. "She's been telling the Queen stories about my telepathy."

"If she's speaking about the fae," said Preston. "She won't live beyond a day." I hadn't thought about that. Hadley was my cousin. She was family, but sadly it was clear that her loyalty was not to us, but to the vampires. I tried not to think about it. But Preston was right. From what little detail I got from Bill, I'll admit that I had no idea Hadley even knew as much as she did. So there was a good possibility that she knew more. I swallowed and quickly continued.

"Because of Hadley's stories, the Queen has sent this vampire Bill to investigate me to see if the stories are true and to gauge the extent of my ability. If I could be of use, he's supposed to secure me for the Queen by any means, seducation, glamour, threats, or turning me." I felt Preston's emotions churning in a wide range of anger. I was right there with him.

"Does the vampire suspect the stories are true," he asked.

"No, but he thinks I'm good friends with the vampire sheriff," I said. "This threw a wrench in his plans. He isn't sure what to do. The Queen apparently is flying under the Sheriff's radar. He's scheduled to report to his queen in a few days."

"Once the Sheriff contacts this vampire there is a possibility that he'll be told of the Queen's plans," said Preston somberly. "He may be brought in to secure you. You'll need to be real careful." I swallowed hard.

"If he did, he would be creating the very thing he doesn't want," I said. "Problems with the fae."

"Nonetheless, be careful," he asked me.

Ok," I said softly. Maybe Claude was right, just killing the vampires might be the cleanest way. No one was immune to fae magic, not even vampires. So I knew there were ways to go about getting rid of a lot of vampires without the fae being linked to it. Which I thought was ironic because one thing was consistent in all the vampire minds I've read. They all thought themselves to be the superior supernatural race. But how could they think any different when their prey was so weak and defenseless against them. Vampires were fierce, but by far not the strongest. Even little o'l me knew this.

Author's Note:

I tried to shorten this chapter, but I just couldn't cut it anymore without losing parts I really felt I had to include. So thank you for reading it. And a big thanks to everyone who has honored me with a review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

I'm very happy that you're enjoying Changeling as much as I am. I'm also thrilled beyond words that you have welcomed Mòr and Preston into your hearts. Thank you.

Have a great holiday weekend.