A lot of men from around town and the surrounding area had been into the police station to answer questions about Dawn Green and her habits.
Annoyingly Andy Bellefleur has decided to spend his afternoons at the bar just taking in the scene. Only ever having one beer with his meal, the others didn't seem to care too much but he kept fucking with me.
He would sit in my section, when I got close, he would think of something provocative or rude to get a rise out of me. I guess he was trying to test my ability.
Even though he was really testing my cool. My final straw was when he thought about Jason and me being indecent. He had ordered a coke that day instead of putting it on his table, I threw it in his face and marched off into Sam's office.
Sam could see I was all red in the face and my hands clenched at my sides. He immediately tried to calm me down.
" Sissi, what's going on? he knew better than to touch me when I was this pissed.
" That damn Andy Bellefleur has pushed one too many buttons. He knows ... and he keeps thinking nasty things around me. I've about had it!"
Sam walked right out, dragged Andy into the office, and made him apologize to me. Sam gave me the day off. I went out back, to do some breathing exercises. When I came back inside Andy was in a different section and I was thankful.
Sam asked me if it was true that Bill Compton would be speaking tonight at the Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting.
"He better be! He promised my Gran that he would. They are having it at night so that way he can be there."
"Are you going? " I knew Sam had carried a torch for me, but this was the first time he had ever made a move.
"Yes, with Bill. " Sam's face went a little dark.
"Sissi, you're still seeing him even after Dawn and Maudette? Damn near half the town thinks he did it. "
"Oh, Sam please don't act like these people. I get it! I'll be careful. Now, you know and I know I'm nothing like them, I don't just let anyone all in my bed. "
" Is it true you can't hear him? "
"That damn Tara. When you said she was blabbing I thought you meant about him being a vampire. She told y'all that?" She's been trying to get Sam and me together for years.
"You know she can't keep her mouth closed for nothing. Can you?"
"No. I can't." Sam turned his head away knowing as long as Bill did that for me, he had no shot.
" Just watch yourself."
He warned once more. This time it was more about a relationship with Bill, than worrying about Vampires in general. After that, we hugged and it was about time for me to leave.
It was around six pm. I kept having this nagging feeling. I don't like hurting Sam's feelings but how dare he start this up just when somebody else shows interest. Before Bill, he seemed perfectly happy to pretend that he had zero romantic feelings. The gall of him.
Gran was in a buzzing mood, she was happy and excited about tonight. I took my time getting ready, not really knowing what to wear so I kept it simple. I wore a pair of brown slacks, a teal silk shirt, brown flats and wore my hair down naturally. I didn't wear makeup other than lip gloss and eyelashes.
The Descendants of the Glorious Dead were an eclectic group. There were some old and some not quite that old members. Much to Gran's chagrin there were no young ones. The greeter at the door was a longtime friend of Gran's, Mr. Sterling Norris. He was the Mayor of Bon Temps. He shook my hand firmly and grinned at the sight of me.
" Ms. Sissi, you look more beautiful every time I see you. I greatly appreciate your help with getting Vampire Bill to get on down here and tell us some stories."
"Oh, you're welcome Mr. Norris."
I loved seeing that old lady happy, Gran and him just kept on chatting, while I made my way over to a seat. Tara and Sam were here, that's new. I chose to sit next to them. I lightly hit her arm, she looked confused, but she knew what it was about.
"My bad. You didn't tell me I needed to keep my mouth shut about y'all."
"Girl, now you know I don't like my business all out in the open." She shrugged and rolled her eyes.
"You two cut it out."
Sam cut in between us. I just shook my head and forgave her. It's my own fault, Sam was right. If I didn't want the town to know, Tara shouldn't have been told. I loved that girl but damn she's gotta big mouth.
She really didn't like Bill, but she knew why I was choosing him and saw no harm in nudging Sam just a tad even if it was just a hope.
Maxine Fortenberry stood up on the podium and spoke, she was the president of d.g.d she lightly tapped the microphone to get everyone's attention.
" Our guest of honor just called to say that he's having car trouble and will be a few minutes late. "
While we waited for Bill she went over some more boring stuff that I tuned out. I'm not sure how long it was but soon Bill walked in. There was total silence, you could have heard a pin drop. Eventually, whispering could be heard, mainly it was the people who had not seen him before. You could really tell he wasn't human under the fluorescent lights.
The skin on his face and hands were all marked up. The deep pools of blue looked darker and cold. More menacing! He was wearing a lightweight blue suit. I bet that had been Gran's advice. The prominent arch of his brows. The curve of his bold nose, the chiseled lips, and the white hands with their long fingers and carefully trimmed nails. Ooo, I was getting lost. I'm in a church!
It was as if Bill cast a glamour over the whole room. The attention all on him, he certainly had mine! Our eyes met and he bowed in my direction. Some of the people around turned to look. I blushed but kept quiet as he began to speak.
"Hello. I sincerely apologize for my late entry. I had trouble with my tires. Well, some of you know of me and some of you don't. My given name is William Thomas Compton, yes I am a vampire. No crucifixes don't bother me."
I tried to suppress a laugh as I watched, Maxine Fortenberry, Hoyte's overbearing mother fret over the sheet covering the crucifix. She was currently trying to uncover it.
"Let's get down to what you all came to hear. The stories of my time in the war. "
I couldn't help but get lost. The timbers of his voice lull me stupid. What was this man doing to me? Little parts of the story kept slipping in and out of focus.
"... We didn't have any blankets and very little food. There were many deserters because of this."
The members of the d.g.d were deeply engrossed as Bill set the scene. He allowed them to ask as many questions as they wanted. A fragile-looking man in the first row raised his hand.
"Sir, did you by chance know my great-grandfather, Tolliver Humphries?"
"Yes good sir, I sure did. Tolliver was my friend." Bill's voice sang in such a sorrowful tone, that I had to close my eyes to listen.
"What was he like?"
"Well, he was foolhardy, which led to his death," said Bill with a gloomy smile. "He was brave. He never made a cent in his life that he didn't waste."
"How did he die? Were you there?"
"I was," Bill said soft and distant-like. His eyes were unfocused as if seeing a flashback. "I saw him get shot by a Northern sniper in the woods about twenty miles from here.
He was slow and starved. We all were. About the middle of the morning, a cold morning, Tolliver saw a boy in our troop get shot as he lay in poor cover in the middle of a field.
The boy was not dead but painfully wounded. He called out to us all morning. He called us to help him. He knew he would die if someone didn't...
He screamed and moaned. I almost shot him myself if only to shut him up. I knew to venture out to rescue him was suicide. But I could not quite bring myself to kill him.
That would be murder, not war, I told myself. But later I wished I had shot him. Tolliver was less able than I to withstand the boy's pleading. After hours of it, he told me he planned to try and rescue the boy.
I argued with him. But Tolliver told me that God wanted him to attempt it. He had been praying as we lay in the woods. I told Tolliver that God did not wish him to waste his life foolishly. That he had a wife and children praying for his safe return home.
Tolliver asked me to divert the enemy while he attempted the boy's rescue. He ran out into the field like it was a spring day and he was well-rested. And he got as far as the wounded boy. But then a shot rang out, Tolliver fell dead. After a time, the boy began screaming for help again."
"What happened to the boy?" asked Mrs. Fortenberry, her voice as quiet as a mouse.
"He lived," Bill said, there was a tone to his voice that sounded almost resentful. "He survived the day, and we were able to retrieve him that night.".
I don't think anyone expected the kind of stories Bill told that night. After the last question was answered there was thunderous applause all around the room. The most interesting part to me was when a member had shared a picture with Bill, it seemed to be of him and his family before death.
I didn't know vampires could cry! Streams of red streaked down his face. He wiped the evidence away with a handkerchief. I had seen a different side to him that I hadn't before, it was refreshing. Sam and Tara and I went to grab a bite to eat, no pun intended.
I wanted to stay and chat, but everyone wanted personal time with Bill for pictures and such so we just left. I could feel those blue irises burning holes in my back as I made my hasty retreat into the night.
We stopped into the crawdad dive, it was a little hot spot that had wonderful food. We all got some pie, coffee and then sat at a booth to talk. At first, it was just stuff about the meeting that night, until Sam decided to get personal.
"Do you have feelings for him? "
It took me off guard and Tara got real quiet. After being silent I mustered up the balls to say yes. Sam didn't like that answer, not one bit.
" I understand that you can't hear his thoughts and all but why can't you just stay friends. You have no future with him Sissi."
Tara's ass slinked off to the bathroom at that moment... even though this was a situation she started.
"I mean have you thought this through, I mean he's dead for Christ's sake..." I held up my hand to stop him from digging an even bigger grave for himself.
"Sam, I understand your concern... but frankly I don't give a damn. We both know this is more than just friendly apprehension. You've waited all this time and you finally tell me once someone else shows interest. I'm not having it, you just mind your business Merlotte. "
" I deserved that ... "
He wanted to say something else but thought It better to hold his tongue. I told him I was ready to leave. I left to go wait in the truck, I didn't feel like seeing his face right now. Once at my house, he made sure I got to the door alright before pulling out of the drive.
As soon as I walked in, the atmosphere felt funny to me. My home just didn't feel like home ... I stopped walking and called out for gran. It was pitch black. Which was highly unusual! I began walking through the house calling after her, turning on every light as I went.
Her room was empty, my room as well. I checked the bathroom, the washroom, nothing was left downstairs except the kitchen. I turned on that light..., and fell to my knees.
The scene before me made my heart pound out of my chest. I tried to scream but nothing came out. My knees sat in her blood it was everywhere. Tears streamed from my eyes just as I was picked up by strong arms.
I began to fight and pound against the stranger. Screaming for my life! I couldn't hear what was said to me ... it was Bill I could see his lips moving but there was buzzing in my ears and then nothing ...
When I came too, Bill was running his fingers through my hair. He was currently talking to a police officer. The moon showed its light down on the house I grew up in.
I looked up and tried to see the stars, but the image of Gran was burned into my retinas. Her body was all contorted ...there was so much blood! Her head was twisted to the side, the knife stuck inside her chest cavity. The ringing subsided, I could now hear his voice.
Jason? Was that my brother. I tried to get up and run to him. He grabbed hold of me and we sank to the ground. The familiar feeling washed over me, this wasn't the first time my big brother had to console me about a family death.
He held my head to his chest, the cop that was talking to him gave us some room. We stayed that way for what felt like an eternity until he broke the silence...
"What happened? Do you know? They won't let me in to see ."
I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes as I spoke. I told him everything, the fight with Sam, how I got home, how I found her.
"It's my fault, Jason, if I'd got here sooner !" He stopped me with a question I didn't expect.
"Did you know gran left the house to you?" It was as if someone threw ice-cold water at me.
"No, I just thought we would share it as we do with the other one... " Jason didn't seem to care for that answer. His volume continues to rise.
"She left you all the land too" ... I didn't know why he was saying this." She wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! Now she can't even set it right."
I began to shake, Bill rushed to my side in a hurry. He started to walk me up and down the yard hoping to calm me down. Sam came back after getting a call, he was talking to Jason on the porch. After a while, I just asked out loud why he would say those things to me. Bill surprised me with an answer.
"Jason couldn't help your grandmother, and he couldn't handle the idea of someone here for you. Them killing her instead. So, he got angry about something else ... I wouldn't take it to heart."
I let that mull over my brain, it sounded plausible. It made me feel worse. Gran gave me all of this and Jason nothing. I know why. He knows why too. Andy Bellefleur came out of the house. He stood on the steps, looking up at the sky as if there were clues written in it.
"Compton," he called sharply, I shook my head and said no forcefully. I knew this was going to happen. Bill looked shocked, he just realized that I was trying to protect him as well. Not just my brother!
He looked down at me, something welled within those eyes I couldn't explain. We both walked towards the house. Each step I felt my stomach inside my throat. Once we reached the porch something I had never expected occurred.
Jason smacked me so hard the ringing came back; I staggered and fell onto the lush grass. Bill was in front of me crouched and ready to pounce if Jason got any closer. My brother looked like a madman ready to come after me again until Sam tackled him to the ground.
Andy Bellefleur was stunned but acted fast and stepped in between the battle of the two groups. He looked at Bill and swallowed with a steady voice he bellowed, "Compton, back off. He won't hit her again."
Bill was taking deep breaths, trying to control his hunger to rip Jason in half. I couldn't read his thoughts though I could tell he was ready for blood.
Sam, on the other hand, was screaming for help while trying to contain the situation. Jason was sobbing while cursing me, his thoughts were all jumbled and didn't make a lick of sense.
Andy looked ready to lock us up or shoot us if we didn't comply. Sam halfway dragged Jason to his truck and that was no easy task. Once Jason was completely gone, I dared to stand, I touched my face and It felt as if this hell would never end.
