Hello! Here is the next installment to A serpent in Greece and I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think. Thank you and enjoy!

A Serpent in Greece: Chapter 3

Blurry eyed, Isaac swept the deck. He thought he could function on four hours of sleep but how wrong he was. The moment he stumbled on the boat, hair drenched from the shower he took beforehand, Isaac actually believed he would collapse from exhaustion. And apparently Damien agreed because he had assigned Isaac to cabin boy duties as punishment. Damien had it in his head that Isaac had irresponsibly partied and drank all night and thus was suffering from a hangover do to his wild ways. Though he wouldn't call fighting a vampire a real party.

He subconsciously rubbed the hand that the vampire broke, fully healed now. He was probably also out of it do to the lack of food. He didn't have time to grab a bite to eat this morning and do to the more strenuous healing process last night, his energy tank was completely empty. As if to answer his thought, Isaac's stomach grumbled loudly.

"Great," he muttered. He was an absolute wreck and all that seemed to be on his mind was eating a juicy, medium-rare steak with mash potatoes on the side drizzled in gravy. The corners of his mouth curved down in a frown as another loud grumble rumbled his stomach. He was so hungry that he could eat a horse and a horse sounded mighty good at the moment, all its meaty goodness. His mouth salivated and he could feel the wolf howl within, begging to be let out and allowed on a hunt. Isaac shook his head, trying to banish the feelings within.

"Knock it off,"he whispered to himself. "Going on a murderous feeding frenzy won't change anything." Except end my hunger he silently added. He glanced around, making sure none of the other crew members witnessed him talking to himself. Not only would he be a foreigner, but he would be considered a crazy foreigner and that wouldn't be good, especially with his current investigation on Captain Damien Buros. It might get him kicked off the ship and out of a job.

Suddenly the sweet smell of succulent meat wafted his nose, pulling him out of his thoughts. Again, he salivated. He turned his head to meet the scent, only to see his friend, Marios, ambling towards him. Isaac's face paled. "No, No, No, No, No," he chanted to himself, as his friend approached with a dopey grin. "I can not be that hungry..." Oh God! What if I am? What if this is just the beginning of a downward spiral? Next I'll be seeing my friends as dancing steaks and...and chicken legs! Shit! Am I salivating again like a hungry hound? Is this the end?Is this how I'm gonna lose myself?

"Hey Isaac,"Marios greeted, rocking on his heels. "You hungry? You seem out of it today." You have no idea. Isaac sighed, ensuring that his eyes wouldn't flash. He probably should answer the question so he wouldn't look like a complete weirdo, not that his creepily hungry stare was helping his case.

"Yes,"Isaac squeaked. Marios shook his head in amusement, snickering. Yeah go ahead and laugh. Wouldn't be as funny if I ended up ea...And that's when his eyes caught the sight of the paper bag where the delicious scent was coming from. A sigh of pure relief blew out of his mouth. He laughed. Marios stepped back slowly, unsure of the sudden mood swing. He probably looked like a basket case to the young sailor. Maybe he was. Maybe he hit his head a lot harder than he thought last night. He got his hysterical laughter under control. Seriously, he was losing it. "Thanks." He took the bag that was handed to him,controlling the need to bring the bag up to his nose and inhale the sweet aroma. "I am definitely starved." He leaned the broom against the boats mast and dug into the meat and cheese sandwich, eating greedily.

Marios flopped down next to him, eating his own bagged lunch. "Thought you looked hungry? What did you do last night anyways?" he asked, taking a bite of his own sandwich. "Meet any pretty women?" Isaac paused in his starved animal act, recounting the events of fighting the crazy, sadistic female vampire. His stomach twisted at the memory of bones snapping and blood soaked concrete.

"Sure,"Isaac responded with a slightly strained inflection. Marios must have misinterpreted the inflection as desire instead of haunted memories because he laughed, giving him a sly grin.

"I bet she was all over you,"He teased. Isaac tugged at the collar of his shirt. Was it getting hot out here or was it just him?

"I suppose you can say that,"Isaac answered. A slight involuntary flinch shook his body as he remembered the female vampire's cold cheek against his and the aching burn in his leg. "You can say it was a real wild night." But not in the way that Marios thought. In fact, Isaac was happy that he never had to see that demon woman again. Marios chuckled, finishing up the last bites of his sandwich. He smacked Isaac on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Well, I've got to get back to work," Marios mentioned. "And so should you. You don't want Damien jumping down your throat for being slow. If you haven't noticed, he's disciplining you for your irresponsible ways last night. Not that I think it is fair."

"I've noticed,"Isaac stated bitterly. Marios shrugged.

"I guess that's the price you pay for coming aboard with a hangover." Marios stood up and stretched his limbs.

"I guess so,"Isaac muttered irritably, taking a vicious bite from his own sandwich. Or the price he pays for saving all their asses from a blood thirsty vampire on a rampage. Where is the gratitude for that? Guess no good deed goes unpunished. Hence why he's been sectioned to cabin boy and mopping the poop deck. Isaac's face twists into a scowl.

"Ah, buddy," Marios responds sympathetically. "Nobody blames you for having a good time, well except the captain. But, he's a different story. You're young. Have to live a little. Just next time don't bring your post-good time on board."

Isaac's scowl just grew more hideous. If looks could kill, this whole boat would have sunk by now. He'll blame his bitter mood on his 'wild night'. Marios patted Isaac on the shoulders and strode off. As much as Isaac liked Marios, the man had a way of jumping to conclusions. Quite often then not, he had a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth which got Marios into a lot of trouble. Isaac shrugged, finishing off his sandwich and silently wishing there was more to eat. He stood up, throwing away the paper bag and finishing his work.

A couple hours had passed since his talk with Marios and during those couple hours two other members of his crew, Darien and Alexander had also reassured him that his status on the ship had not changed, even if he behaved rambunctiously the night before. They explained they had done similarly when they were his age too. It wasn't uncommon. All Isaac felt was annoyed. Gossip on the fishing boat always spread quickly. The few days he had worked on the boat, he knew more about these men than he did about the pack back in Beacon Hills. There were no secrets amongst this crew.

Isaac vigorously scrubbed at the windows, fuming with indignation. He shouldn't feel so irritated about them making assumptions about him being a partier. But considering his actions last night were admiral, being thought of as a drunken idiot who hooked up with women last night, frustrated him beyond understanding. He supposed it was better than having his secret found out. The men would probably freak out and throw holy water on him. Which they'd discover wouldn't resolve the problem but further piss off the werewolf. Which would probably resort to more violence. Isaac chuckled to himself. He always suffered from dark, irritable thoughts when he was tired.

He started scrubbing the wooden walls, when he heard Damien and James, second-in-command, approaching, their voices lowered so no one could hear them. Except, maybe, a werewolf. He tilted his head, tuning into the conversation. He side-eyed them, watching as Damien nervously wrung his hands and sweat beaded his forehead.

"I don't know what to do, James,"Damien explained. He leaned against the deck's rail, hand massaging his cheek. The breeze ruffled his hair. "The monster is terrorizing my village and people are getting scared. Thinking about, packing up and leaving." Monster? Isaac's eyebrow quirked upward, lips pursing. He ran a hand through his thick, curly hair. His focus on his job diminishing.

"You can hear the horrid hisses at night,"Damien continued. "As it snatches up wandering prey. But-"

"Go on,"James encouraged. Patting his friend comfortingly on the back.

"Either it's getting hungrier or bolder because small woodland creatures isn't enough anymore. It's going after my friends and family now." A gruff wail of despair left the man's throat, as Damien's whole body seemed to collapse in on him. "The Floros's boy was taken last night."

"Oh God," James exclaimed. "Do you know why?" Damien shook his head despondently.

"No, I don't know,"Damien responded. "I fear for my two little girls' safety. My wife. We don't even know how to kill the beast. What it looks like. All that is left is a long thick indent in the ground, trailing back to the forest. Other than that, nothing is known about the creature." Damien looked ten times older than he actually was. The stress and fear aging him quickly.

"We'll think of something," James reassured. "If not, maybe evacuation is the best option."

Damien nodded. "It's just...I can't leave my home. I was raised there, my daughters were raised there, and I want to raise my grandchildren there. I don't want this blasted monster to scare us away from our home that has been ours for generations." James grunted in agreement.

The conversation died down, as they walked away, never noticing Isaac standing ten feet away. He thanked his power of being a wallflower, since most seemed to overlook his existence. Which came in handy while listening into other's discussions.

Isaac leaned against the wall. He would have to approach Damien and offer his assistance. But, he couldn't show Damien that he was a werewolf or give any indication that he was connected to the supernatural in one way or another. He sighed. No, he would have to blow his cover. Get Damien to trust his motivations.

If children were being taken from their homes, he would have to find a way to stop it. Even if it meant telling his secret to his captain. He would confront Damien tonight before they went their separate ways. He turned back to his chores, continuing his work. A new spark of determination fueling him. He wasn't going to let anymore innocents die on his watch.

The rest of Isaac's day was filled with cleaning off bird poo on the rails, clearing off barnacles on the boat, cleaning out the boat's bathroom, and other disgusting jobs. Yup, Damien was definitely getting his point across. By the end of the day, Isaac was completely sweaty, dirty,and smelled like fish guts. He wasn't pleased.

Damien waved goodbye to his crew, as he strode down the docks towards the parking lot where his car awaited him. The warm night breeze ruffled his hair and the quiet squeaks of the dock followed his every step. He put a cigar in his mouth, lighting it, and huffing out a puff of smoke. He had quit smoking a while back, but because of recent events with the unknown terror, he had fallen back on bad habits to the disapproval of his wife. But, under these dangerous and stressful circumstances she had given him leeway.

Damien sighed. Every night he prayed for the safety of his wife and little girls. But with the monster growing close and taking interest in the weaker villagers, it was harder to have faith that his family would be unscathed by this beast. Everyday he prayed for a miracle, an angel, a hero to come to his village and rid the beast from their forest. But, no one had been brave enough or strong enough to stop it and now it was more aggressive than ever.

He stopped, sensing someone was watching his back. He turned to face a familiar silhouette figure, hidden in the shadows. His long coat falling just below the knees and his scarf firmly wrapped around his neck. Damien could never understand how the young American could wear such warm clothes in the warmth of a Greek evening.

Immediately, a chill ran up his spine. A dangerous, predatory feel coming off the young man, something that he hadn't noticed before. He felt like a lone sheep facing a wolf. A wolf that once was hidden in sheep's clothing. It made Damien feel the need to run and hide. He mentally calculated how far his car was from him and how quickly he could get there if this confrontation called for a hasty escape. He noticed the youth's mouth curve into a smirk as if he could hear how quickly his heart was beating. Maybe he could, the captain considered.

He swallowed down his nerves, giving the kid a steely glare. How could he not notice the danger under the innocent and timid facade before? He was going to die. "What do you want Isaac?" He demanded bravely. He wasn't going to allow this snot-nosed, slightly terrifying adolescent make him feel afraid. Isaac stepped out of the shadows, every bit of him confident and deadly graceful. A completely different appearance from the usually clumsy, quiet, and shy teen he had grown used to. This just shows you can't judge a book by its cover.

He cocked his head to the side, nonchalant. But, Damien hadn't missed the slight flash of concern in the kid's eyes. As if he pitied the sailor. But, that flash of emotion disappeared just as quickly as it came, returning to a steely business appearance. "You know," he stated conversationally. "Those will kill you." He gestured to the cigar in Damien's mouth. Damien snorted. Deciding to play by Isaac's rules, he switched to English.

"Right now," he responded grimly. "The cigar is the least likely culprit to be the death of me." Isaac winced, hurt coating his eyes briefly before that emotion as well disappeared beneath a veil of indifference. Damien quirked his brow. "Is this about my disciplinary actions towards your seemingly hungover state? I would have had any of the men on my boat perform the same chores if they had come onto my ship with a hangover."

"It wasn't a hangover." He caught Isaac muttering exasperatedly. The captain's brows furrowed as he scoffed. "No, that is not why I am here,"Isaac replied confidently.

"Then why-"

"I want to help you," Isaac interrupted. Damien's brows shot up. He swore, at this rate, his eyebrows would have preformed a whole acrobatic routine.

The surly captain no longer felt fearful, only baffled. Threats he could take. He was used to threats. He got plenty of those on a daily basis, thanks to his sparkling personality. But being offered help for something he didn't know he needed assistance for-unless he did know. "What exactly do I need help with?" he questioned.

Isaac looked him squarely in the eyes, not blinking or moving. He stood their stoically, as if he were something more than human. "the monster," he stated simply as if admitting monsters were real was normal.

Damien felt the color drain from his face. He gulped. "How...did you know about-" Shushing him, the teen placed a hand on his shoulder. Isaac tilted his head, similarly to a dog listening to a noise that no one else could hear.

"Let's go find a quiet place to discuss the matter," Isaac uttered. "We don't need anyone else to know about whatever monster is lurking in your village." Damien froze. His brain racing with a million questions about how the teen knew.

He had been quiet enough about the whole ordeal, only discussing it with his closest friend. Who would even believe him anyways? They'd just assume that he was a crackpot. That he got just a bit too much ocean and sun. Isaac grasped his bicep, leading him off the docks. He barely understood Isaac asking him about safe places to have a private conversation. Nor did Damien register him leading the young American to his car.

He didn't want to believe Isaac at first, when the youth climbed into the passenger seat of his car and faced him. When Isaac had first started talking, he seemed to be covering up many details of his tales. Damien refused to believe him unless Isaac gave him all the details. He wasn't going to bring another killer to his already emotionally damaged village. And that is when the crazy stories of Kanimas, hunters, darachs, nogitsunes, and vampires came out. He almost wanted to apologize about the vampire thing and assuming Isaac was nothing but a reckless teenager with a hangover. Almost. But, pride took over and he kept his lips firmly sealed. He instead listened to the horrifying retelling of nightmares turned real. The stories kept spilling, the young man anxious to relieve fear, and a sense of guilt, that had been plaguing his mind for months. And with each new story, Damien's eyes grew wider.

Everything that Isaac told him was surreal. He didn't want to believe the kid at first, but as each story of his hometown, of France, and of last night escalated he couldn't help but wonder if these stories were from a disturbed teen's imagination. But they sounded to plausible, to realistic not to be true. A horror story that came to life. And considering he was dealing with a very real, extremely terrifying monster, he had no room to throw stones. This is what a seventeen year old boy had been dealing with? He had done more than the average adult in a lifetime. And he couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid.

When Isaac ran out of steam, he glanced at Damien as if begging him to keep his secret. He appeared nervous, all previous confidence had disappeared. All that was left was a scared boy who had just spilled many secrets, that should have stayed secrets, to an acquaintance.

"I'm telling you these things," Isaac explained after his story, hands shaking slightly. "Because I need you to understand that I can help you. I am familiar with the monsters that your village faces now. And I would never dream of taking advantage of your hope. My only intention is to stop a threat." He bit his lip, bowing his head. "I need you to-"

Damien placed a hand on his shoulders. "I'll take your secrets to the grave," Damien promised, with a reassuring smile. "What you have gone through should have destroyed a man. But you seem to be-"

Isaac shook his head. "I'm not fine. I don't think I'll ever be fine." He got a far off look as he stared absently out the window. "I shouldn't have told you," Isaac muttered. "It was a-"

Damien sighed, squeezing the teen's shoulder. "I wouldn't suggest telling anybody else. Some wouldn't take this information to kindly. But I'm a desperate man under desperate circumstances and I need the help of someone who is familiar to this monstrous, new world." Isaac glanced at him.

"Like I said, I'll help you," Isaac replied. The teen's features darkened, a rumbling noise came from the back of his throat. "But, if you tell another living soul about what I said-" His lips curled as his face was inches away from Damien's. "I'll rip your throat out with my teeth." Damien gulped. Fully understanding just how dangerous Isaac was. One betrayal and it could be the end of his life. But, Damien understood the fear as well as keeping a promise. Damien could pride himself by admitting he was an honorable man.

"I understand," he said truthfully. "And I won't betray you. But out of curiosity how did you survive?"

Isaac frowned. "That's the other part I need to tell you." Isaac stared at him and suddenly his eyes flashed a brilliant gold and Damien jumped back surprised, hand clutching his heart. "I'm a werewolf."

The captain's world span. He didn't think he could take anymore surprises. His previous thought about wolves and sheep coming back to him. Fear consumed him. This teen could murder him so easily and there would be nothing he could do to protect himself. He felt a sudden urge to defend himself. A small part of him considered reaching for the gun that he concealed in the glove department. But it was a small part. He took a deep breath, remembering that he had a promise to keep to Isaac. That he was trustworthy and rational man. Isaac was here to help him. When he looked back in the young man's eyes, he didn't see malice, only apprehension.

Dreading that his secret would be found out by others without morals. That his safety would be compromised. And Damien understood now why he could never tell a living soul. It was not just protecting others from a supernatural world, but protecting Isaac, a child, who was a part of the supernatural realm being a supernatural himself. People would hunt down the poor boy, just because he was something unknown. And the unknown was something to fear. Shoot first, ask questions later was the mentality of most people. Damien had never been a lemming. He refused to allow fear to take control of his life. Isaac was not only promising to defend his village, but he was asking to be protected in return. Damien was going to ensure Isaac's safety. He would take this boy's secret to the grave.

The fear in Isaac's eyes increased and the wolf looked ready to jump out of the car and run for dear life. He took hold of Isaac's gaze and smirked. "Like I said, to the grave." He started the engine. Isaac's face relaxed into one of relief. He backed out of the parking spot. "Let's go stop us a monster." Damien peeled out of lot and onto the road.

Isaac grinned. Yup, his future and the future of his village was looking brighter with every minute. He sent a silent thanks to whomever was looking out for him.

Maybe prayers did work because it seemed like God had sent him a hero in the form of a young werewolf boy. Yes, he had many questions, but who wouldn't? He'd ask them when the time came. For now, he would protect this kid's secret.

I hope Isaac's actions made sense in this chapter. I thought they did, considering he had to make the Captain aware of his capabilities. Well, I'll hopefully get the next chapter done next week. Please let me know what you think through reviews, favorites, and follows. I think I may have two or three more chapters for this story. It's a lot longer than I expected. I think I'll be sending Isaac off to England next. Any suggestions will be welcomed.