Sean's nose twitched as something foul touched him and he looked over when he heard Nick and Hank. They walked in and Sean paused and grabbed his nose.
"What the hell is that smell!" Trubel squeaked and grabbed her own nose.
Sean's eyes then noticed the way that Nick wasn't placing his full weight on his right leg and the blood near his hairline and the collar of his shirt. He stood up as he held his nose and looked at him with sharp eyes. That smell was coming from the other man as Hank stood a fair distance away from the Grimm.
"What happened?" Sean demanded, his words slightly muffled.
"Nick fell down a manhole," Hank gave up with a smirk.
"A manhole," Sean uttered. "How did you do that?"
"We had to run after a suspect that took off through a construction site. They had the manhole open but hadn't placed anything around it," Nick muttered. "I didn't see it and suddenly I wasn't on the road but under it."
"Suspect got away when Nick went down," Hank added. "The construction blokes were quick to help get Nick out then hose him down."
"God, you stink!" Trubel grumbled. "Use the shower outside and I'll bring you out a towel and soap."
"It's freezing!" Nick countered. "That shower isn't hooked up to the hot water!"
"You stink!" Trubel repeated. "If you step on the carpet, we'll never get that smell out."
The two Grimms eyed each other off before Nick looked over to Hank for support. The man threw up his hand in reply.
"You do stink," Hank agreed with a grin.
Nick groaned and limped out the doors and Sean followed him at a distance. He shrugged out of his jacket as Nick stripped down. Sean winced when he saw the bruises and scrapes that were revealed but he was concerned about Nick's right leg. There was a deep gash in his thigh that was still leaking blood.
"Come to watch the show?" Nick called over to him. "My teeth are already chattering."
"You should have showered at the station," Sean countered, mildly.
"Sean," Trubel called and Sean stepped back and grabbed the towel and a bar of soap off Trubel with a nod.
"Can you get the first aid kit out as well?" Sean requested.
"Already on your bed," Trubel told him with a smile.
"Thank you," Sean offered before stepping back towards Nick. "Nick."
Nick turned and Sean threw the soap and the Grimm grabbed it easily out of the air. He watched Nick carefully as he washed down and the stiff way he moved and could tell that he was hurting. He stepped forward and held the towel out and Nick thanked him. He quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist. Sean held out his jacket and could hear his teeth chattering as he slipped into the jacket.
"God, that's cold," Nick stuttered. "We have to hook that up with hot water."
Sean took Nick in a hug to try to warm him up and could feel him shaking.
"With the messes that you fall into," Sean remarked, pun intended. "I'll get that hooked up tomorrow."
Nick snorted as Sean held him until he stopped shivering.
"Come on," Sean purred. "First aid time."
"Of course, Nurse Renard." Nick said with a laugh.
Sean just swatted the Grimm's ass in answer and Nick yelped.
xXx
Roan Goodrich looked at the address on the piece of paper before looking up at the house before him. He took in the new SUV, the bet up Land Cruiser and an old Ford Focus in interest. That meant that there was at least three people in the house and he wasn't sure if one of them belonged to the man that he was after. He stepped towards the front door and felt a little exposed. He wasn't used to using the front door when approaching a house, especially one that a Grimm lived in.
He pressed the door bell and heard it sound out. Everything about the place was very human and he curled his lips up slightly at that. A young man with messy dark blonde hair and a slight sprinkling of dark hair along his cheeks answered the door with a smile. Roan knew he wasn't the man that he was after. The man before him had an open face and an almost innocent look around him that made him think that he wasn't aware of the danger that he was in.
"Yes?" The man asked with a wary look now.
"I'm here to see Nick Burkhardt?" Roan questioned. "I was given this address."
"Does he know that you were coming?" The man asked and shifted slightly.
"No," Roan answered, his sharp eyes picking up on the man's movements. "Do not go for that weapon. I don't wish to harm you but I will."
"Sean!" The man yelped and tried to slammed the door.
Roan caught the door and calmly pushed it open as the young man ran. Suddenly a tall man with short dark hair appeared with a gun in his hand and a cold look in his pale eyes. The gun came straight up and he could feel that presence around the other man. Roan held his empty hands out to his sides and the gun lowered slightly.
"Who are you?" The man demanded.
"My name is Roan Goodrich," Roan intoned and tensed as that gun came straight up. "I'm here to see Nick Burkhardt."
"You're the Reaper," the man spat.
"And you are?" Roan countered.
"Captain Sean Renard," the man introduced. "Of the Portland Police."
"Ah," Roan said with a nod. "The Royal."
Roan's eyes flicked past Renard as the man that he was after slowly walked towards them. Nick paused slightly with his own gun in his hand as Roan looked him over. He had a slim build but broad shoulders with dark hair and an intense look in his eyes.
"Make a move," Renard threatened. "And I will shoot you."
"Understood," Roan replied evenly. "I am not here to harm anyone. I was told that you needed information and since I do work for the Council…"
"The Council sent you?" Nick asked as he stood behind and slightly to the side of Renard.
"I have heard rumours that you were looking into Verrat murders," Roan explained with a cold smile. "Something of a hobby of mine."
"A body count is a hobby?" Sean questioned and Roan shrugged.
"I am a Reaper," Roan pointed out. "We all have our hobbies."
Sean and Nick tensed at those words and kept sharp eyes on him as he slipped his bag off his shoulder. He placed it down and looked at them, he then froze as he picked up something else as a woman appeared. His eyes locked on the young woman as she stood further down the hallway.
"Well, well." Roan purred as his lips curled up. "This is unexpected."
"Make one move," Renard threatened and Roan focused back on those cold eyes. "I will shoot to kill."
"How long did you think that you could keep her secret?" Roan questioned. "You have formed quite a collection of power around you. Grimms, Wesen, Royals…makes me wonder what else you are hiding."
"What do you want?" Nick demanded.
"May I take a picture out of my bag?" Roan requested.
"Slowly," Renard instructed.
Roan gave him a smile and very slowly unzipped the bag and slipped a piece of paper out and held it up.
"That is your calling card," Nick said as he came to stand next to Renard. "Can I?"
Nick held his hand out and Roan passed it over with the threat of the gun pointed at him. Nick looked the picture over carefully, he trusted the Royal to have his back.
"This is the same," Nick said and looked at him. "You killed those Verrat. Did you know that the two brothers that came with Viktor were drugged?"
"Bit of a letdown, really." Roan commented mildly. "The next Verrat made up for it."
"You drew your calling card on the wall while he was still alive," Sean remarked.
Roan gave him a cold smile and felt satisfied when he saw the shiver run down the other man's back.
"I have heard that there is a Zauberbiest in Portland," Roan told them and Renard tensed. "A full blood."
Two sets of eyes focused on him intensely and he gave them a smirk. He had caught them off guard with his words.
"I also heard that you have a scythe from a case," Roan continued. "Perhaps we can help each other out?"
xXx
Nick thought that he would be used to surreal moments; he'd been wrong.
"Milk?" Nick asked as he placed the sugar next to the cups on the table.
"Yes," Roan replied, his dark eyes taking in everything.
Nick held back a shiver as the Reaper made his coffee. The man had dark skin with his head shaved. He was built like Sean but without the height. He would be an intimidating man even without being Wesen. The fact that a Reaper was seated at the dining table, still had Nick on edge. He had a different feel about him as he sat there and seemed to be able to tell if someone was a Grimm. He shared a look with Sean before settling next to him on the other side of the table from the Reaper.
Sean and Nick tensed when Roan picked up his bag and placed it on the table. They watched him carefully as he pulled out a glasses case and slipped some thick rimmed glasses onto his nose. Nick held back a snort of amusement as the glasses ruined the bad ass image that Roan was giving off. The Reaper paused and looked over at him.
"What?" Roan demanded, his voice smooth.
"Nothing," Nick replied and Sean gave him 'the look.'
Nick pulled out the photo of the scythe drawn on the wall, the one they believed wasn't done by a Reaper. He placed it down and slid it along the table as well as two photos of scythe they had found. Roan picked up the photos and looked them over.
"Yes," Roan said and placed the photos of the weapon down. "That is the one that I have been looking for."
"And the drawings?" Sean questioned.
Roan pulled out a thick leather-bound book.
"It is similar to two Reapers," Roan reported. "One lives in Germany and hasn't left the country. The other travels but mostly bases himself in Mexico but could have stepped over the border."
Roan opened the book and pushed it towards them with the photo and Nick looked it over. To someone that wasn't an artist they wouldn't have been able to see much difference between them but Nick could.
"Not the same man," Nick remarked as he stood at his seat and looked down at the photos. "This person curls the blade a little more and crosses the lines at the tip of the blade and down at the bottom of the handle. There is an extra line and…oh, the G for Grimm, nice touch."
Nick looked up and locked eyes with the Reaper and could see both images of the man as he smirked. Roan hadn't woged but he didn't need to as Nick pushed that other image to the side in his mind. Nick flicked through a few other pictures in the book and Roan didn't stop him. It reminded him a little of gang symbols as he looked at one image of a scythe to another. Each slightly different to another, a calling card of the person that had killed a Grimm. Nick shivered as he stopped looking and closed the book.
He looked over at the Reaper on the other side of the table, a man that normally would have killed him. Instead, they were sharing information over coffee in his own kitchen.
"You turned your attention to the Verrat?" Nick stated more than questioned and Roan tilted his head in agreement.
"They breed like vermin under the Royals," Roan replied. "There are a few of us that have turned our attention to them."
"Due to a lack of Grimms?" Nick questioned, tensely.
Roan's lips twitched up and even with the glasses, Nick shivered at the expression.
"The thing with Grimms," Roan intoned dryly as he leaned back in his chair. "Is, even if you chase down the bloodline, it doesn't mean that you will face a Grimm. It doesn't matter how much Grimm blood they hold, they can still come into the inheritance and at any age. You kill one and another will turn up somewhere. All it takes is a drop of that blood in their veins."
Nick shivered and Sean laid a hand on his knee.
"You," Roan stated and sat forward in his seat. "Are a new breed and you have even bound yourself to a Wesen, even if he's a half breed Royal."
Sean glared across the table but it made no difference to Roan.
"I am a cop," Nick said coldly. "Before anything else."
"And the girl?" Roan asked with a wave.
"Is none of your concern," Sean warned and Roan's lips curled up.
"As long as she isn't Verrat," Roan said mildly. "I agree with you."
They paused when a knock sounded on the front door and Josh walked through to answer it. Roan sat back in his seat as he looked around.
"Nice place you have here, by the way." Roan mentioned.
"Tell us about this Zauberbiest," Sean countered, smoothly.
Roan reached into his bag and they tensed but he just pulled out his iPad and tapped away on it.
"Conrad Bonaparte," Roan announced as he turned the screen and showed them a photo. "Part of some rebel group that is causing waves in the Wesen world. The Council are not happy which is keeping us in work."
Roan grinned and passed the iPad to them as Hank and Wu walked into the room with Josh behind them. Roan stood up and held his hand out as he pushed his glasses up to perch on his bald head. His eyes flicked to the folded-up scythe in Wu's hand before giving them a smile.
"Roan Goodrich," Roan introduced.
"Detective Hank Griffin," Hank said mildly as he shook his hand. "And this is Sergeant Drew Wu."
Wu shook his hand before placing the scythe on the table before Sean.
"Curtesy of the property department of the Portland PD," Wu declared and Sean gave him a nod.
Josh shifted on his feet before walking out of the room. Sean placed his hand on the scythe in the police evidence bag, it had been on the list to be destroyed as a restricted weapon.
"Sean," Nick whispered and Sean looked at him sharply.
Nick showed him the screen and Sean's eyes hardened.
"You recognise someone?" Roan questioned in interest.
"Yes," Nick replied. "The grey-haired man with Bonaparte is a man called Weston Steward, he was an FBI agent with links to the Royal family."
"My family," Sean clarified.
Roan held out his hand and Nick passed the iPad back and looked at the man. Nick pulled out one of his cards and placed it on the table.
"Can you send those photos to my phone?" Nick questioned and Roan nodded.
Hank and Wu settled next to Nick at the table. Sean looked over when Trubel and Josh appeared at the door and he waved them forward. Roan's eyes flicked up and he took in Trubel before going back to the iPad. Trubel took the seat next to Sean and Josh sat on the other side of the table.
"You already met, Josh Porter." Nick told Roan and the man nodded at the young man. "This is Trubel."
"Nice to meet you," Roan said as his eyes ran from person to person. "Is this now an arrest?"
"If it doesn't go the way we like," Hank retorted with a hard look. "It could be."
Roan looked him over and couldn't feel much from him or the other officer and assumed that they were human. He looked around him at the odd collection of people and he also knew that it wasn't everyone from the size of the table they were seated at. He wondered who normally filled those empty seats.
"Why are you here in Portland?" Nick asked as he received the photos on his phone. "Verrat?"
"Yes," Roan answered carefully. "If this Weston is working for the Royals-"
"Was working for the Royals," Sean cut in. "I doubt they are on good speaking terms now."
Roan paused at that and nodded slowly.
"I'll keep that in mind," Roan intoned. "I don't mind diverting my attention for a good reason."
Sean pulled out his phone and pulled up a few photos and slid his phone across the table.
"Do you recognise any of these men or women?" Sean asked. "Some are Verrat."
Roan picked up the phone and looked at the photos, he could tell that is was a murder scene and that every person in the photos were dead. His lips curled up at the sight of the tattoo of the Verrat.
"No," Roan answered and placed the phone back on the table and gave it a push.
Nick picked it up and glanced at it and recognised the crime scene of when his mother was killed.
"Do you know how long this Zauberbiest has been in town?" Nick asked as he placed Sean's phone down.
"No," Roan answered. "Or what his plans are, I only came across him while I was tracking the Verrat. The Council do have a bounty on his head so you may come across others after him."
The fell into silence at that warning then Roan sat back in his chair and looked Nick over.
"What?" Nick demanded.
"We seem to be on the same side for this one," Roan broached. "Perhaps, we could continue this accord?"
Nick nodded slowly.
"You have my number and I have yours," Nick replied evenly.
Roan stood from his seat with a nod and packed his bag up then held his hand out to Renard. The man looked him over before sliding the weapon towards him and Roan took it in hand.
"Nice doing business with you," Roan said with a tilt to his head. "I'll see myself out."
"No need," Sean stated as he moved to his feet smoothly. "Can't have you getting lost."
Roan nodded slightly and they walked to the front door. Once they were out of the house, Roan turned back to the Prince and looked him over. There was a hard look in his eyes as Renard looked down at him. He'd heard rumours about the other man from within the ranks of Reapers.
"If you are concerned for your lover," Roan told him and could see that Renard was holding tightly to his nature. "You don't have to worry about a knife in the dark from me, unless he has plans to tattoo his palm."
Sean stepped closer to him and let his nature show as Roan pulled his own forward. Reapers and Zauberbiest were closely matched in strength as they eyed each other off and Roan tilted his head to the side in acknowledgement of the threat.
"We have started a very nice working relationship," Roan growled. "I wouldn't like to ruin it now."
Roan let his nature slide back as his human features came back into view. Renard held his stare for a few more seconds before his human mask came into focus. His point made clear and Roan nodded while he adjusted his bag on his shoulder before walking away.
xXx
"That was a strange meeting," Nick commented that night.
"A Reaper and Grimm in the same room without bloodshed?" Sean questioned. "Yes."
"What do you make of him?"
"That times are changing," Sean remarked with a sigh.
They fell into silence as they lay together in bed. Nick had to agree with Sean that things were changing from what he'd first walked into when he'd come into his Grimm inheritance. The black and white world that his ancestors had lived in was shifting to something different. The second that he'd made friends with a Blutbad had started that chain reaction for him and he wondered how many others were looking at what he was doing. It seemed that the connections that he'd been making were tying groups together. He even had direct contact with the Council and now a Reaper.
Sean shifted around onto his side and looked at him and Nick lifted an eyebrow in question. Sean just curled into his side and placed and arm over his chest as Nick lay there.
"At least we know more than before," Nick muttered.
"But will it be enough?"