Disclaimer: Not mine.
Glad people liked ch1. Sorry for the long wait, this chapter gave me issues.

Chapter 2

Sam glanced at his email and smiled when he saw he had a new one from Bobby. He opened it and then frowned at the message. Poor kid. He's keep an eye out but the odds were he was nowhere near New Orleans and he was busy enough dealing with what was going on. He liked Bobby; he was a good man and a good hunter. Sam sometimes wished he could meet the man but Bobby was too good not to notice Sam wasn't human. Revealing Dark-Hunters to a hunter would be enough in Artemis' view to have him condemned to Shadedom, not a fate he wanted. Seeing the sun setting he sent a reply and grabbed his weapons before heading out for the night.

Sam spent hours wandering the streets, taking out a Daimon here and there but for some reason there didn't seem to be many around which was very odd. Then he spotted a group and started to follow them, frowning as he tried to get close enough to take them out but then he heard their whispers and frowned. Sam followed them quietly and his frown deepened when he saw the club, he'd known Talon had a girl and from the feel of things she was there….the Daimons knew and where after her. Sam sighed but then looked around, wishing he had Talon's ability to hide himself, that would make it a lot easier. They went into an alley and Sam stepped in after them, coating the ground behind him with thick ice, fogging the air a little with the cold and making sure he'd have warning of anyone coming. The Daimons grinned at him and Sam smirked, instead of drawing a sword he let one form in his hand, made entirely of razor sharp ice. The Daimons faltered and Sam moved, the first one disintegrating before it even realised Sam was moving. The Daimons were young and cocky, against someone of Sam's age, even if he preferred books to fighting, they stood no chance. Hearing someone cursing and slipping Sam leapt for the fire escape and scrambled up and onto the roof just in time as two cops spilled into the alley, literally thanks to the melting ice. They looked very confused to find no one around and Sam waited until they were gone to call Talon and warn him.

Sam dropped to his knees beside Nick, checking him gently for injuries, finding a good sized lump on his head. Nick groaned and Sam let some ice form in his hand, icing the wound for the poor kid. "Take it easy Nick, you're safe." He assured him.

"Sssam?" Nick slurred, eyes fluttering open. "Sunshine!" He went to sit up only to groan. "They got her."

"It's okay, I'll call an ambulance for you and then find Talon. You just rest." Sam called and waited for the paramedics to arrive before taking off. Not even Ash was answering his phone. Sam stopped in an alley and slowed his breathing. Sometimes his gifts were a pain, if he could just see like in visions it would be easier. Since his precognition wasn't being helpful he had to rely on Clairsentience and Presentience to try and find a clue as to where the others and Sunshine were, hopefully they had found her. A very helpful gut feeling had him running for a warehouse. He made his way cautiously inside, following the sounds until he reached a room and stared in shock at Ash, who the hell had pissed him off that badly? "Ash! Acheron stop!" Sam yelled. He really wished his powers were more useful but he could at least help the temperature lower forming ice in the room.

Talon was relieved when Shemu'el appeared in the doorway and quickly realised the slightly lowered temperature was his doing as the older Dark Hunter yelled for Ash.

"Acheron calm down, please brother." Sam called out calmly, walking towards him and ignoring the cowering gods. Acheron answered Sam in another language.

"He says to back off or die," Styxx translated. "He's summoning the Destroyer."

A lightning bolt lanced towards Sam only to slam into a shield of ice. "Calm down Ash, you don't want to do this." And Sam knew it was true, he'd felt Acheron's emotions enough times. He saw Talon finally gain his feet and move to help him, shocked to see the young Celt's eyes were no longer black. Sam shook his head when Talon tackled Ash to interrupt his chant but didn't dare try to pull them apart as they struggled. He looked at Styxx and snorted in disgust. "Idiot." He muttered. Sam grinned when he saw Talon catch Acheron and cup his face; glad he'd worked it out. Sam moved closer, making sure Ash could see him and he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Acheron enough." Talon called and they waited to see if he had gotten through to him.

"Come back Ash, please." Sam whispered.

"Talon, Shemu'el," he rasped hoarsely. Ash's eyes flickered, then he looked back at Talon before looking at Sam.

Suddenly, another shock wave shot through the room, this one in the reverse direction from the first. It was as if the unleashed power were drawing back into Acheron. The dragon shot up toward the ceiling, then vanished. Ash's features transformed back into the face of the man Sam had known for most of his life. Ash blinked his now silver eyes and looked around as if he were waking up from a nightmare. Without a single comment, Ash stepped away from Sam and Talon, wrapped his arms around his chest, and walked across the room as if nothing had happened.

Sam ignored the godly bickering and the interaction between Sunshine and Talon to follow Ash. He put his hand back on Acheron's shoulder, feeling him tense. "Easy old man, just calm down." Sam whispered and Acheron looked up at him.

"I need…" Acheron whispered and Sam nodded, getting him out of the room before anyone noticed. Sam led Acheron back to his town house and into the guestroom.

"Sleep Acheron, I've got watch." He told his oldest friend and the Atlantean sank into bed. Sam left the room and collapsed on his couch, he knew Artemis would be calling for Acheron soon, in payment for Talon's soul. He was the only Dark Hunter who knew the price Acheron paid to free them from Artemis and he'd learnt by accident when Acheron had appeared in his home one day, his back a bloody mess. For that he hated the goddess who held his soul and had made a promise to himself to never ask Acheron for his freedom, he could not make his friend bare that pain for him.

TBC….