To Claim A Crown Book One: The Half-Blood King (Complete)

12.

There's a pounding at the door just as there's a strike of lightning. Jackson stands off his chair. He looks from Raurlin to the door and sits back down.

As was expected Raurlin's body had shut down slowly throughout the day. Starting with him not being able to keep any blood down and ending with him losing consciousness.

Jackson had carried him to his bed and set up a drip to run through his hand. He knew he needed to get Naomi there but he couldn't leave Raurlin. Jackson was hoping that he shared enough with Naomi for her to work her way to their home but when the rain started he got nervous.

There's pounding again and then once more. Jackson unlocks the door and pulls it open. Naomi is standing at the door in her night dress, barefoot and completely drenched. Jackson quickly ushers her in.

"What the hell happened to you? Did you walk here?"

Naomi nods and shivers. She wraps her around across her body and looks around. Her trek felt like a fever dream but the cold she feels reassures her that she's not dreaming.

Jackson pulls a throw off the couch and wraps it around Naomi's shoulders. He directs her to the bathroom and Naomi stops at the door.

"Take me to him Jackson."

"I need to get you warm first-"

"Jackson I said take me to him."

Jackson nods once and ushers Naomi into Raurlin's room where he is lying in bed. He looks pale and fragile and Naomi's heart twists. She turns to Jackson with a look of urgency.

"What do we do?"

"I need your blood Naomi."

Naomi nods and sits on the edge of the bed beside Raurlin. She tucks her hand into his and as she does he inhales, his chest rising with the motion. Naomi and Jackson watch on expecting him to open his eyes but after a few moments of nothing Jackson walks out the room.

Naomi squeezes Raurlin's hand and it's as if the physical pain he is in radiates through her. Tears well up in Naomi's eyes and they silently fall down her cheeks.

Jackson returns with an empty blood bag and a small black bag. He sets the bag down beside Naomi and zips it open. On the inside there's a variety of small vials and needles still in the packaging.

He takes out a band and Naomi holds an arm out. Jackson tightens the band on Naomi's upper arm that is still covered in goosebumps. She pulls the throw tighter over her shoulders.

"Hold a fist a few times for me please."

Naomi does as she's told and Jackson sets the empty blood bag on the drip and pressed against Naomi's inner elbow to feel for a vein. The vein is throbbing and Jackson gently pushes a needle into Naomi's arm. She looks away as he does.

The blood bag starts filling. Naomi slumps against the wall, her hand still entwined with Raurlin's. Jackson sits at Raurlin's desk.

"So dream walking is real?"

"Yes."

"And you're both vampires?"

"Yes."

"And he's dying because I'm his soulmate and he rejected me?"

"...yes."

"And now my blood is going to save him?"

"Yes."

"So I can leave once he's better?"

"Not exactly."

"Why did he reject me?"

"That's a conversation for you two to have."

Jackson stands up and examines the blood bag. He walks to where Naomi is sitting and expertly pulls the needle out of her vein and pressed a ball of cotton wool down then placed a plaster over the insertion.

"Where did you learn how to do this?"

"I was somewhat of a medic during the war. Modern medicine has always intrigued me."

"The Great War?"

"Yes."

"Where a trickster God tricked two sisters and then they created vampires and werewolves? Did you fight werewolves?"

Jackson chuckles "yes I did fight werewolves."

"So werewolves are real?"

"Yes."

"And you know about Sarah?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you kissed her?"

"She kissed me. And I think she kissed me because she was drunk. I knew once she kissed me. How did she not know before?"

"That's a conversation for you two to have."

Jackson smiles. He opens Raurlin's closet and digs through his clothes. He hands an old faded t-shirt and a matching tracksuit bottoms to Naomi.

"Go shower. You're still freezing. Maybe he'll be awake when you get out. Allergic to anything?"

Naomi shakes her head and Jackson nods once. She walks out the room and into the bathroom. Naomi examines her face in the bathroom mirror. Something is different. Her lips are a slight blue and her hair is damp and wild. She leans forward looking closer and for a split second her eyes seem to change to a dark red.

She steps backwards until she's sitting on the closed toilet. Her breathing quickens and her ears start to ring. Naomi clenches her hands into fists knowing the symptoms of a panic attack after years of battling them.

She drops her head between her legs and tries to steady her breathing. When that doesn't work she sits back up and lifts her arms up above her head.

"Just breathe Naomi. It's okay. This is okay. We just need to get out of here."

Naomi stands up and looks around the room. There's a small window above the toilet. She leans across the toilet and quietly tries to open the window. It slides open. Naomi steps into the toilet and grasps at the sides of the window. She launched herself and manages to get her head out the window.

"Sarah! What the hell! You scared the crap out of me! Why are you just standing there?"

Sarah wipes her hair out her face and she squints up at Naomi, raindrops tapping on her cheeks.

"I followed you! What the hell are you doing here? I am so mad at you Naomi!"

"I know and I'm sorry I can explain. Please just help me get out of here?"

Sarah nods quickly and as she does there's a knock on the bathroom door. Naomi slips back off the toilet and quickly turns the shower water on.

"Everything okay in there?"

"Yes Jackson everything is fine. Just waiting for the water to heat up."

"Alright. Oh and Naomi? You won't fit through the window. Tell Sarah to come inside."

Naomi drops her head into her hands and groans. She peels off her night dress deciding she might as well shower. She steps into the hot water allowing her body to slowly warm up.