Compton, William “Bill” (vampire): Under the orders of his queen, Bill Compton, Confederate soldier, returns to claim his family home in Bon Temps upon the death of his last direct descendant. Told to seek out Sookie Stackhouse, he finds her at her job at Merlotte’s, but when he foolishly goes out to the parking lot with a couple who offer him blood and sex, he is bound with silver chains as they try to drain him to sell his blood, and he is rescued by the very woman he has been sent to evaluate. A few nights later he returns the favor when she is attacked by the couple who attempted to drain him; he kills them both and gives a gravely injured Sookie his blood to heal. Sookie soon becomes far more than an assignment.

After taking Sookie to Fangtasia, looking for information about several women murdered in the area, Bill is dismayed that she catches the attention of Eric Northman, vampire sheriff of Area Five. Bill seeks a position in the vampire hierarchy himself to protect Sookie. He successfully campaigns for and becomes the Area Five investigator. Under Eric’s orders, they travel together to Dallas to find Farrell, the nest mate of sheriff Stan Davis. Sookie is sent to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun during the day, and upon waking, Bill is alerted to the fact that she is in trouble by a young telepath whom Sookie was able to contact at the hotel. Bill is searching for her when she is brought back to the hotel, and he rushes back to her side. During the celebration of Farrell’s safe rescue, the Fellowship of the Sun fires on Stan’s house, and Bill is among the vampires who give chase to their assailants, leaving Sookie in the company of Eric. Disappointed in Bill, Sookie returns home, and they remain estranged for several weeks. After their reconciliation, Bill must leave town, and he returns to find that Sookie has asked Eric to protect her during an orgy she is attending to gather information about the death of Lafayette Reynold. Bill arrives in time to witness maenad Callisto’s madness infect the orgy participants, and he takes Sookie home after he and Eric clean up the mess.