The days had seemed to drag on as he slowly began to realize that Aurea's disappearance was more cause for concern. It had been six days since he had felt her disappearance and each day had him crumbling more and more.

Sookie once more had come to visit him in hopes of learning anything she could about where Bill could have been. She had found a unique mark that she insisted Eric know about, but unfortunately, that mark brought back many bad memories.

A sinking feeling within his gut had him realizing that Aurea's and Bill's disappearances were becoming one in the same. They were connected….but he didn't know how. Something about these werewolves had to be the answer…..

Which was why he found himself standing outside Sookie's house that night. He had told her before that he knew nothing of the mark she had found…..but he was lying, only to buy him some time in connecting dots that would hopefully lead him in the right direction. He didn't care if he found Bill….but if finding him led him to her…he would do anything.

The front door opened revealing Sookie holding a gun….her face ever the same mix of annoyed and cocky.

"They came for you?" he asked.

"Just one. This morning…it took off before I could get anything out of him." she said. "That why you're here? Or do you know something about Bill?"

"I lied to you." he said, the agony of Aurea's disappearance turning him desperate enough to speak the truth.

The time he spent in the SS was enough to make him sick to his stomach. It was a time in his life he hadn't been proud of….but it was a step closer in finding out who had killed his family. He would have done and still would do anything to find this man…this devil who had lived in the shadows for so long.

"You and Godric were in the SS?" asked Sookie, her face dropped with shock.

"We posed as anything that would help us in our search." he said, defending his actions.

"But you were hunting the Nazi werewolves." stated Sookie. "Was Aurea part of the SS also?"

She watched Eric's face fall….and if his skin could have turned paler, it would have. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as his gaze turned to the woods across from the porch. Even her name had him on edge….fidgety even.

"No she was not." he whispered.

"Where was she in all of this?" asked Sookie.

"The symbol is Runic." he said, trying his hardest to switch subjects.

He could tell she still wanted to ask him about Aurea, but she politely backed off.

"This pack dates back a lot farther than the Nazi party." he said, his eyes catching the memory of the cold dead eyes of his children.

"So they aren't Nazi's?" asked Sookie, getting confused.

"No they're much more than that." he said. "These are not ordinary werewolves. They're organized, well-funded, highly trained….and fueled by vampire blood."

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" she asked, getting angry.

"The bigger question is why I am risking everything to tell you now?" he said. "My loyalty is not to Bill. In fact, it would be advantageous for me if he were never found…..but-"

"But?" she asked, noticing his torn expression.

"I believe they are a part of," he paused, the secret being too much for him to bear. "Aurea has gone missing."

"What?" asked Sookie, the look on her face a one of worry. "Since when?"

"She has been gone for over a week now…..but I am to believe she has been missing for several days now." replied Eric, his eyes never leaving the railing.

"Did she leave or something?" asked Sookie.

"She left for a time….to mend herself." he said, the pain of her decision still fresh within him.

"Aurea's always done that….it's just who she is." reassured Sookie.

"I know who my wife is better than you do." he snapped, instantly regretting his outburst. "As of a few days ago…I have felt different. She's in trouble…..and I-"

"You think whoever took Bill might have taken her?" she asked. "The werewolves?"

"It is a possibility." he replied. "I am awaiting information from the sheriffs of other areas…to see if she had passed through any of their areas."

"This may sound silly….but have you tried calling?" asked Sookie.

"First thing I tried." he said. "I am at a dead end."

"No you're not." reassured Sookie. "I'm sure she's fine….wherever she is. We just…..Aurea is strong, she'll survive anything. And so is Bill….they're both strong vampires. We just need to have faith that the path to them will fall right at our feet. Eventually."

Eric was surprised at Sookie's calming and reassuring fate into finding Bill and Aurea. He had severely doubted her….but at the current moment, anything sounded good to his ears.

"Can I….can I ask- "she paused.

"You want to know what she is?" he asked.

"Is it that obvious?" she laughed, embarrassed.

"You are just easy to read." he lightly smiled.

"She's not normal is she?" asked Sookie.

"What makes you say that?" asked Eric, toying with her.

"What she did at Godric's…..I've never seen her do anything like that." said Sookie. "Plus, I can't read her mind….well when she was human."

"Really." stated Eric.

"Yea…it was like I was listening to the ocean every time I tried." she replied. "It was actually kind of nice."

They both remained in silence as Sookie waited for Eric to say something…..anything that would divulge exactly what Aurea was…but he never said a word.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" she asked.

"I don't believe it's my place." he said.

"Then can I ask you something else?" she asked, seeing him nod lightly for her to continue. "Why did you trick me into drinking your blood?"

Eric's jaw tensed as she brought up the question. He had hoped to avoid this subject for any later date….but the girl was inquisitive. He ran his hand over his face before turning towards her.

"As I have said before….you and I are business partners…it is my responsibility to make sure those valuable to me are safe." he replied, his eyes looking away as he spoke.

"Then why was Aurea so upset?" asked Sookie.

"I had failed to inform her of my actions." he replied. "Now, if you wouldn't mind I would like to discontinue talking about this."

"Look, Aurea is my friend….whether she wants me to be or not. I care about her and after seeing the way you've treated her a couple of times I think I have a right to say what I want to you in her best interests."

Eric found himself rubbing his forehead. Aurea had been right….Sookie had a bad rap of acting as if she were self-entitled to everything. The woman was nosy and stuck her nose into business that didn't concern her.

"If Aurea wants to discuss it with you….fine. But do not sit here and badger me on how I treat my wife." he snapped. "I know how I treat her and it's because of it that she's gone!"

Sookie's eyes widened as Eric ranted…..the last bit of his sentence coming out as a shock. It wasn't everyday Eric Northman confided in anyone, let alone Sookie. She figured he really must be hurting if he was baring his soul.

"She's gone, because of me." he replied, his voice softer. "She's in danger because of me…..that is something I don't know how to deal with. I am trying my best right now to make sure you remain safe while looking for both Bill and Aurea…..so I would appreciate the lapse in your self-entitlement speech and request more help in finding them."

"Ok." she replied almost immediately. "I'm sorry….I didn't know, I didn't know how much this hurt you."

She watched him stand and walk to the other side of the porch. His hands ran through his hair as he let out a deep breath…only to help calm him. She could see the distress in his face and body. He was on edge.

"You must really love her." she said, her voice betraying her words.

She loved Bill…..she loved him with everything she had. But she would be lying if she said that she wasn't a little jealous of Eric and Aurea's relationship. Those two had been with each other for centuries…..original lovers as humans brought back together as vampires. It was a romance novel to be envied by the Gods, and she wished that she could live it herself.

"Without words." he replied. "She is my everything."

Sookie felt her heart break at his words….never imagining those words to be spoken from Eric's mouth. It was rare to see such a side to him…and she felt happy he was sharing it with her.

"How did….how did you two meet?" she asked, curious as to their life together. "Was she a Viking too?"

Eric looked over to see Sookie enraptured with the tale of Aurea. Something in her eyes told him she was a little jealous, but mostly curious as to how something such as him and Aurea could ever exist.

"She was." he replied, leaning against the railing. "I was to be King…..one evening after a hunt, I watched her enter the hall. Her smile was the first thing that stopped me; the way she smiled at my mother made something within me grow warm. I approached her…."

"And?" asked Sookie, enthralled with the tale.

"She turned to me with those eyes." he whispered. "I was enraptured. I knew I had to have her."

"Sounds familiar." mumbled Sookie.

"I must admit the behavior has never left me, even after all these centuries." he replied.

"So she just…willingly went with you?" asked Sookie.

"Quite the opposite." he laughed. "She wanted nothing to do with me….fortunately for me during that time women had no choices. I wanted her to be mine…and that's what she became."

"But she grew to love you?" asked Sookie. "Just like she has now."

"Yes she did."

"How does…..is she who I've known my whole life, or is she something else?" she asked, referring to the idea of reincarnation. "I remember Lafayette mumbling about two people in one body."

"It was once believed that when we die, our soul enters another to be reborn." He paused, gazing out into the dark night. "The problem is that memories were never meant to follow."

"Then what's the point of reincarnation, then." Stated Sookie.

"Beliefs were that a person's energy and awareness was reborn, to start a life new using the knowledge and experience they happened upon in the previous life. In this situation, I don't believe reincarnation is our culprit." Said Eric, taking a seat on the railing.

"Then what is?" asked Sookie, engrossed in the idea that she may learn more about what Aurea was.

"An awakening."


Hey hey! Another chapter. Sorry for the long delay but let me know what you think! Much love to all 3