Chapter 3

It was a rainy Wednesday morning as Nick sat at his aunt's old desk, looking down at the case file in his cold hands. He mouthed a word, then turned to the thick leather-back book on the table. He shook his head, thinking that it could have no help for him at the moment.

Something made him take a second look. His eyes glazed over the cover and he flipped to through the pages.

Tambiers, Rundvies, and Lidos tore through the pages as he turned, looking for that certain face. Nick stopped and eyed the creature.

Its face was lizard like, it's tongue forked like a snake. The creature's eyes were unforgivably retched. Nick looked back at the kid, his red hair swaying over his bright smile in the picture with his family. They were all hiding a secret, though. All of the people in this picture were Grimms, just as Nick and Elisa were.

Aunt Marie's book was suspicious, but helpful. After flipping through about twelve pages of monsters, he turned back to the lizard-being.

"Hombriden." The name felt somewhat burnt on his tongue as he whispered.

Nick read on silently:

These creatures are violent and deadly. If you come in close contact with one, run for the hills. Hombriden have a taste for revenge, especially against people who are in alliance with Grimms or mortals.

The jaw was about as big as the bite on the young man's arm. Nick stopped and looked over the desk slowly.

If these things were after Grimms…

Rain had never been a friend to the Gatans. So the day that big, nasty storm broke through Portland, Elisa sat on the window sill and looked out. She was depressed and sullen.

It'd been about two days since she last saw Nick. She felt like he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She knew deep inside that it wasn't true, but a Match can dream, right?

She sat, pressing her lips together as her damp hair sat on her back, trying to use the frozen air to dry.

Eddie came in, holding two cups of vanilla bean coffee. He stopped and looked on glumly at the young lady that was forced upon him just a few days before. She had become a helpful hand around the house, taking out the trash, making lunch, and even fixing clocks.

He eyed her as she sat, like a cat pondering life, on the short, white window sill, just staring out. He'd left her there four hours ago, and she hadn't left the spot. She had folding her legs into her chest into a hugging position as she stared outside.

Eddie heard the elementary schoolers go by as he sat down in his favorite chair. He turned just as Elisa's eyes turned yellow with intrigue.

"Match." Eddie stunned her back into reality, holding out a cup of coffee for her.

"Uh, thanks." Elisa blinked, smiling a bit at Ed. She turned a bit to her left, looking on as Ed folding his paper open.

It had been a bit awkward the last day, but the two had gotten used to each other's company.

Eddie stopped suddenly, sniffing the air.

"Grimm…" Monroe threw his newspaper on his comforting chair as he stood up, looking out the window over Elisa's head. "Dammit."

Elisa blinked, smiling as she watched Monroe walk onto the porch to greet Nick with a dark grumble.

"Come to give me another job?" Eddie folded his arms across his chest, rolling his eyes snarkily.

Nick looked into the window, where Elisa sat excitedly. "Actually-"

"Oh god! I was kidding!" Eddie threw his hands up and walked back into the house.

Nick put a hand on Monroe's shoulder, pulling him back out. "I can't go in there."

Monroe turned, looking at Elisa, who was waiting patiently to see her cousin. "She's been cooped up in my house for about two days because she can't come out in the rain." He put a finger to Nick's chest. "You need to go in there and see her. She doesn't talk or do anything! All she does is sit at that window, waiting for you."

Elisa pressed her lips together as she heard the muffled conversation. Why wasn't Nick coming inside to greet her?

"Look," Nick shook his head. "I think… a Hombriden is after both of us."

The sound of the Hombriden name made Eddie's skin turn white and cold.

"If you have any sense, you won't say that name out here." He said sternly.

"I need you to protect her." Nick leaned in.

Eddie shook his head, looking at his feet. "There are only a few things that can stop a Blutbad. Hombriden are one of the few. I can try, but…" He winced, looking off to the side. "If someone does come after her, I might not be able to protect her."

Nick nodded. "I understand, but I think it's a lot safer for her here than at my house. Juliette's already in danger with me there. Two Grimms would be worse."

Eddie turned a bit to his right, looking over his shoulder at the girl who was almost clinging to the window.

"Fine, but only because she can make some good stir-fry."

Nick closed his eyes a bit, smiling and shaking his head. "I owe you one."

Eddie turned to the door. "Now it's five."

Elisa looked on once she heard the door swing open. She jumped off her spot on the window, sprinting to the door.

"Where's Nick going? Is he not coming in? Nick!" Elisa screamed out the door, just as Eddie closed it.

"Hombriden. They're after you and Nick." Eddie brought the hammer down hard onto Elisa as he grabbed her arms.

"I thought… I thought I lost them once I hit the Washington border." Elisa looked at Monroe's shirt, searching for something in her mind.

"Wait, they followed you?" Monroe bent down, trying to look into her eyes.

"Yes, but… I thought-"

Eddie sighed. "Great, just great. They could be here any minute. This is what I get for helping a Match."

Monroe walked into the kitchen and looked out the window as Elisa followed.

"No one asked you to help me! I can take care of myself."

Both knew this wasn't true. Gatans were nothing against a Hombriden, but Blutbadien were at least capable of defending themselves. Gatans had a sense of danger; they could feel it in the soil.

At the moment, neither could function without the other if a Hombriden really was after Elisa.

She peaked up at Monroe as he stood over the sink. Eddie sighed and looked under his arm at her scared face.

"Let's go get some dinner."

Maybe food would get both of their minds off this beast that might be within running distance of them.