Secret Scents

Chapter 8

Everyone was gathered in the church in Bon Temp. Adele Stackhouse put together a little display for the town, to welcome back William "Bill" Compton to Bon Temp.

Arlene shifted in her seat a little uncomfortable. She only came to this thing because Sam shut down the bar for this event, and Rene said it would be good to go out with the kids, and at least listen to what Bill had to say.

Belle was there, wearing her normal, blue jeans, flannel shirt rolled to her elbows, and her hair was down past her shoulders now. She looked at Bill in the back room. He was a bit nervous. "Don't be nervous. I'm sure everything is going to go great. Adele worked hard for this." She said with a smile.

Bill nodded. "Well, public speaking was never my strongest point. I hope I can answer some questions for the people of Bon Temp tonight."

"You're going to do great." She said and reached up and straightened his tie. "Alright. Perfect." She said with a smile.

Bill smiled back at her. "You are a very unusual woman Belle Swan."

Belle shrugged. "I'm not that weird." She said and watched him go out to the podium. She took her place in the pews in the back, sitting next to Jasper.

"Good evening, everyone." Bill started. "First off," he paused and took the sheet off the statue of Jesus and the cross. "There. Better." He said with a smile. People were shocked and whispered a little.

Jasper smirked, setting his arm around Belle's shoulder's as they relaxed in the pew.

"I know a lot of you fear what I am." Bill continued. "I'm a man from the shadows. A vampire. There are a lot of myths floating around out there about vampires, and I hope that I can debunk some of those myths, but firstly I'd like to share my story." He said, gripping the podium. "I was born here in Bon Temp, April 5th, 1835. I married my wife, Caroline Shelby in 1855. Back then, you married for convenience. My father was William Thomas Compton, my mother, Margaret Lattermilk." He said and smiled when an older lady put a hand to her mouth. "Yes, Darlene, you are a distant cousin of mine." He said with a wink. "I had two children, Sarah and Thomas." He dropped off, and cleared his throat, thinking about memories of the past and his children. "In 1862, I joined the confederate army. I was a First Lieutenant in the 28th Louisiana Infantry."

"My great, great grandfather fought in the 28th." An older gentlemen spoke up. "Did you know him?"

"What was his name?"

"Marshall Thompson." The man said, proudly.

Bill smiled, nodding. "Oh yes. Thompson. He was a great man. One that I even called a friend. He saved a lot of lives with his sacrifice in the war. He was a hero, and I'll never forget him." He said and the older man smiled, looking at who looked to be his wife. Bill continued. "I was turned at the end of the war in 1865."

Belle found all this interesting. She leaned over and whispered in Jasper's ear. "You were turned in 1863, right? You were in the war?"

Jasper nodded. "I was in Texas at the time of the war. Bill was a 1st Lieutenant; I was a Major. I held higher rank than he did at that time. I was part of the 20th regiment." He explained lowly, and caught Bill's look and he nodded to him.

There were some other questions and Bill answered them the best he could, until Adele took over.

Belle and Jasper stood outside; the air of Louisiana was thick with humidity.

"So, that was interesting." Jake commented as he joined. "The more you know." He said with a shrug.

"History is fascinating." Jasper said. "Historians everywhere will likely be floored to here that the history that they think they know, isn't quite what history really was."