Jackson opens the apartment door and as soon as he steps inside he's inside being pinned against the wall. Raurlin's eyes are gleaming red and he's battling back fangs.

"Where have you been, Jackson?"

"Raur let me go. We just replaced the couch."

Raurlin let's go suddenly and Jackson is almost clumsy on his feet. He straightens and walks to the kitchen where Raurlin is pouring a drink. He drops two ice cubes into his glass then brushes past Jackson and sits in the lounge. The anger surrounding him is palpable and Jackson finds himself pouring a drink too.

"I can smell her on you. Why were you with her?"

Jackson settles down beside Raurlin and sips at his drink.

"I wasn't there to see her Raurlin. I was there to see her friend. And you can't just ignore her Raurlin. You'll kill yourself and you know it."

"How am I supposed to be with her Jackson? She is but a child."

"Raurlin please if you want to find someone closer to your requirements we'll have to start digging up graves."

Jackson nudges Raurlin and Raurlin cracks a smile.

Jackson continues "I don't think she knows Raurlin. The gene could be laying dormant. Rejecting her might not kill her if she's still human but it will definitely kill you. What's our plan?"

Raurlin shakes his head and disputes "I just found out that my father isn't my father. My main priority isn't exactly explaining our existence to a human-"

"She's not just a human Raur, she carries the gene. She's your aeturnum."

Raurlin sighs and downs his drink. He stands up and walks to the kitchen and leaves his glass in the sink with the ice cues slowly melting down. Jackson sips at his drink, waiting for Raurlin to eventually make it to bed. Once he's certain that Raurlin is asleep he walks to his room and settles into his chair. He shuts his eyes and after a few deep inhales steadies his breathing to a deadly slow rate.

Jackson's eyes flutter open and on the bed beside him Naomi is laying with the drip running through her hands. Naomi's eyes open and first her heart is pounding with the panic of not being able to tell if she's awake or not. She settles when she sees Jackson. She tries to move but her body is completely shut down. Of course because she is experiencing what Raurlin will experience.

"You again. Hey Jax."

"Hello Naomi. I'm sorry to take up so much of your time when you're awake and asleep."

"That's okay. Why am I here now Jax?"

"I need to tell you what an Auternum is, Naomi."

Naomi remains silent waiting for Jackson to continue and he does.

"Because we were turned by a spell it's possible that there are humans who carry the vampire gene."

"Yes I know. We've been through this."

"Right but what you don't know is that it is possible for a human to be paired to be a vampire. We call it an Auternum."

"What do you mean Jax? Paired?"

"Think about it like having a soulmate someone who you're destined to be with."

Jackson remains silent allowing Naomi time to process.

"Why are you telling me about Auternums, Jax?"

"You know why Naomi. I need you to understand what happens when a vampire rejects an arturnum. If they are both vampires they will both die. But you're a human right now and you might survive it but he's a vampire and he won't."

Naomi is crying again and Jackson has to stop himself from wiping the tears away.

"I don't want him to die..."

"Naomi listen to me and listen closely. Auternums are bound to each other. Think of it as if you're linked by a thin red thread. And you can always feel the slight pull of the thread. You'll know when it's time and when the time comes you need to follow the thread. Follow the thread Naomi!"

Naomi is gone and the bed in front of Jackson is empty. He inhales deeply and back tracks in his mind until he's in his own room again. The room around him spins suddenly and his body goes limp. He falls to the left of the chair and instantly Raurlin is catching him. He allows his body to be weak against Raurlin and Raurlin helps him to his bed. He eases onto the bed and Raurlin lays him on his side, propping up pillows to rest along his neck and back. Raurlin sits down on the edge of the bed waiting for the colour to return to his best friend's face.

"You're so concerned about saving me you're killing yourself in the process Jax. You need to stop. You know what will happen if you get trapped in a dream that doesn't belong to you."

Jax lifts his head slightly and shuts his eyes tightly he swallows then says "you know I can't. You know what you have to do." With that his body goes completely still.

Raurlin stays sitting beside him until he's convinced that Jackson is asleep and safe within the confines of his own mind he walks back to his room. He settles into the chair at his desk and ruffles through the scattered papers. He picks up a paper with a detailed family tree and a red pen. Raurlin starts writing notes along the margins of the paper. He leans backwards to his bed and lifts the red file Stellan had given him. He opens the file, flipping through pages.

Raurlin becomes so immersed with his work he doesn't realise the sun is shining until there's a knock at his bedroom door. He looks up and the sunlight is almost blinding and instinctively he shuts his eyes. The door opens slightly and Jackson peers his head into the room. Raurlin motions for him to come in. He's holding two glasses of blood filled almost to the brim. He hands one to Raurlin then settles onto the bed behind him.

Raurlin turns in his chair, sipping on the blood that leaves a red stain on the inner of his lips. The two are silent a moment and Jackson clears his throat and states "thank you for last night, Raur. Sleeping on the floor would have been pretty rubbish."

Raurlin nods and is silent a moment then turns and picks up a paper and hands it to Jackson. "This is my family tree on my mothers side as far as I'm aware. This is Tormund's side of the family as far as I'm aware. And this is my birth fathers records."

Jackson takes the papers a deep frown on his face. He examines them closely. First Kalle's then Tormund's and lastly Raurlin's birth fathers. Jackson's eyes widen as he reads through Raurlin's birth fathers records. Raurlin gulps down the remaining blood watching Jackson intently.

"His name was Maddox. He fought the Great War too, Jax. They called him Maddox the Destroyer. These records say he fought with an unmatched ferocity. They said his claws extended longer than anything that had been seen before."

Raurlin's nails extend into claws slowly. He looks from his claws to Jackson. Jackson remains silent and wide eyed.

"Jax, after they called him Maddox the Destroyer they called him Alpha."

Jackson finishes the remaining blood in his glass and hands it to Raurlin who sets it down on the table. He remains silent processing the news that Raurlin has just shared with him. He frowns wondering who the current Alpha is, wondering if Stellan would know. And perhaps if Stellan could allow for a sit down between Raurlin and the current Alpha. Jackson looks at Raurlin to speak when suddenly Raurlin is pale and making for the door.

Before he can reach the handle, he's on his knees throwing up his breakfast in painful messy splatters on his bedroom floor. Jackson springs to action and hoists him up quickly. He carries him to the bathroom and sets him down before the toilet bowl. Raurlin's stomach heaves until there's nothing left. Blood tears stream down his cheeks and Jackson wipes away at them quickly. He turns the shower water faucet to completely cold and allows it to run. He tugs at Raurlin's top and leaves it on the floor. Raurlin starts losing consciousness.

Jackson pulls his shoes off quickly then his socks then drags him across the bathroom floor until he's in the shower. Jackson props him up against the wall allowing the cold water to harshly hit his skin. There's a brief moment of panic as Raurlin is unresponsive. Jackson taps his pockets for his phone and as he pulls it out Raurlin inhales loudly, his eyes a gleaming ruby red and his fangs elongated completely. His claws grasp at the ground around him. He falls back against the wall and his breathing steadies. His eyes return to their normal colour and his fangs and claws retract slowly.

Jackson crumbles to the floor in front of his best friend momentary relief coursing through him thick and heavy with adrenaline. Jackson remains quiet and looks at Raurlin with a pleading look. Raurlin turns away from Jackson and Jackson pushes himself up. He walks out the bathroom leaving the door open. He walks to his room and pulls his wet clothes off then changes quickly into a clean set. There's a knock at the door. Jackson listens as Raurlin turns the shower off and walks to the front door. Jackson can feel Raurlin's anger and he's behind Raurlin in a heartbeat.

Lyjil is standing at the door with a white envelope sealed with a red wax seal. A sign that the envelope contains an order from the king, from Stellan. Lyjil brushes past both of them and looks around their flat with a look of disgust. He turns and looks from Jackson to Raurlin. He huffs.

"Well it doesn't surprise me that someone who showers with his clothes on lives in such filth. I'm here by order of the king. He says to make sure that I hand this to you and that I don't leave until you've read the contents of it."

Lyjil sits on the edge of the couch, his back straight and arms crossed. Jackson leans against the kitchen counter and they both watch Raurlin as he tears the top of the envelope open. On the inside is a thick piece of paper, an order of the king, ordering Raurlin to get in touch with the current Alpha. The order further prescribes that Stellan has already made the necessary arrangements with the current Alpha. Lastly there is an address and a date. Two weeks from the current date.

Raurlin turns to Lyjil his eyes bleeding red. His fangs and claws protrude slightly before painfully returning to the crevices of his body. His eyes remain a dull red and Lyjil stands up slowly. He walks to where Raurlin is standing. He reaches a bony hand out and lifts Raurlin's hand. He examines the fingers slowly then drops the hand. He walks back to the couch and sits back down.

"You're weak Raurlin. This is the weakest I've ever seen you. Why is that?"

Jackson looks at Raurlin and Raurlin remains silent.

"None of your business Lyjil. Get out."

Lyjil stands up with a loud huff. He walks to the door then lingers as he reaches for the handle.

"You're the strongest Vampire I've ever encountered Raurlin. Gods forbid I say it but you rival Stellan for sure. It's alarming to me that you're this weak. I know you don't believe it but we need you. Don't do something stupid like die."

With that Lyjil walks out and promptly slams the door shut. The door rattles to a standstill. Raurlin walks to where Jackson is sitting and hands him the envelope. Raurlin chuckles and then is launched into a full spurt of laughter which ends in painful coughs. Jackson battles back a smile.

"Can't believe that Lyjil complimented you. You must be dying. You do know why your body is reacting the way it is? It's shutting down Raurlin. You need her."

Jackson hands the envelope to Raurlin and Raurlin sighs. He closes the envelope and tucks it under his arm. He starts walking to his room and shouts over his shoulder "I'll deal with it tomorrow Jax."

Jackson watches on until Raurlins bedroom door is shut. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and types a quick message to Naomi: 'follow the thread'. He slips his phone back into his pocket and walks over to the fridge. He pours himself a tall glass of blood and dumbs the empty blood bag into the bin. He settles onto the couch, knowing better than to leave Raurlin alone. Not now any way.