Acheron walked the streets of a small vermont skiing town. It hadn't taken him long to find the drakos patria. There weren't that many left. One quick call to Saivtar and he found himself in Vermont, up to his calves in snow. He could easily see what the dragons saw in this place. It was beautiful and the mountains were perfect for dragons. On top of that, Vermont nights were pitch black, ideal for flying. He could see the mountains in front of him. Maybe he could go snowboarding after. He hadn't done that in a while. He could even teach Tori to ski. He smiled at the thought of Tori trying to balance on her skis. It would be funny to watch.

Ash walked towards a tavern on the corner of the street. He pushed open the door to find a room filled with people who had just come off the mountain. Skis and snowboards were staked against one wall. A man behind the bar glanced up as Ash walked in. The man's jaw got stern as he strode out form behind the bar. He was sure that this guy could tell Acheron wasn't human.

"What business do you have here?" Ash could hear they guy's thoughts. He was wondering what Acheron was and if he was going to harm his bar.

"Are you the leader of the drakos patria here?"

The man paused. He was curious about what this stranger knew that he was a were-hunter, but since the man realized that it would be good to answer. The were didn't want to get on his bad side. Ash mentally smiled. Good move, he thought.

"Yes. I'm Christos makurabi. This is my place and who are you and what do you want?" He tried to look as big as possible but he was five inches shorter that Ash's six foot eight.

"I am Acheron Partheonopus."

"Acheron? As in leader of the dark-hunters?" Ash nodded.

"May I speak to you alone?" Christos nodded gruffly and lead Ash into a back room. He stopped in front of the the storeroom and took a defensive pose. Christos knew that he couldn't take Acheron in a fight but a least he could give his family a chance to get out. Christos trusted this hunk of a man as far as he could throw him, which was about two inches.

"What do you want?"

"Was there a female drakos in your patria that mated a katigaria?" His face went cold.

"My daughter."

Crap, Ash thought. That was going to complicate things.

"Then I'm sorry to tell you that she died a few months ago." The look on Christos face was horrible. Acheron could hear his sadness and anguish in his mind. But within a moment he had regained his composer and stared back at Ash. He looked composed, but his thoughts were a mess.

"How?"

"She and her mate were killed a few months ago by daimons."

"Daimons?! A lowly soul-sucker killed her?"

"That's what her son said." Christos froze, a look of shock spread over his face.

"A son?" He breathed.

"And a daughter. She's only eight and he's about 50."

"They had children?"

"Yes. They are areidian like your daughter. That's why I'm here. They need a home. They were atacked by daimons last night and one of my dark-hunters saved them. They are with her now. But they cannot stay there forever. They are your grandchildren."

"No." He moved past Acheron and out into the bar. He had realized what Ash had come here for.

"They are young and need to be protected-"

"I'm not having two freak hybrids in my patria."

"Think about it-" Christos wheeled around to face down Ash

"Get out of my bar." He snarled. Ash glared at him from behind his sunglasses. He was unbelievable. He would not accept his two children who had nowhere to go. But Ash could tell from Christos's thoughts that there was no changing his mind. Ash glanced around. Everyone in the room was staring at him. He strode out of the bar into the snow. He didn't feel like snowboarding anymore.

****

Rayne laughed at a joke Mya had just said. He hadn't known the firey Dark-Hunter long, but he had liked her a lot. She was funny, smart and sarcastic. She talked a lot, but yet never told any personal facts about herself. At first, this has struck him as odd, but then again when you had lived as long as Mya had, you learned a few tricks. She obiously had things in her past, that's probably how you became a Dark-Hunter in the first place. Maybe he would ask her one day. Rayne looked up from his excellent meat loaf and nearly fell out of his chair in surprise. Rayne sat facing the living room and standing next to the broken coffee table was a giant with blue hair with black tips and wrap around sunglasses. Mya, who saw his reaction, turned around, ready for a fight. But instead of jumping up and attacking the stranger, she smiled and stood up.

"Hey look we match!" She ran a hand thorugh her hair, talking about their tips. Rsyne turned to Al who was sitting next to him.

"Hey Al." The giant said with a raise of his hand.

"Hi Ash. How's Tori?"

"She's good, she's in Macy's currently. I'm going to pick her up when I'm done here." The man stared at Rayne for a moment, but Rayne couldn't see his expression because of his sunglasses. The man, Ash, turned and started to talk to Mya in a hushed voice.

"You know him?" Rayne asked Al. She nodded though a mouthful of meat.

"Yeah. That's Acheron Partheonopaus, the leader of the Dark-Hunters. He and Mya have been friends for-well, for almost forever."

Leader of the Dark-Hunters, Rayne thought. Both Mya and Ash kept glancing his way the whole time they were talking. He tried to listen to what they were saying, but they were speaking in a language he didn't understand. He sighed and leaned back, wondering what they were talking about.

"Well?" Mya asked in Minoan, her native language.

"I found them." Ash paused. Mya had known Ash a long time and he could tell something was up.

"Tell me Ash."

"I found the patria. Their grandfather is the leader. He said he didn't wan the two freak hybrids in his patria."

"And there his daughters children?" Ash nodded.

"He didn't know about them."

"Did you tell them that they were almost killed?"

"Yes. He didn't care." Mya gritted her teeth and squeezed her hands, imaging they were around the Were's neck.

"Urgh! The ignorant, cold-hearted, son of a whore, the squimish little girl, the slf-centered bastard who has no fucking soul-"

"He is all those things and more, but that's becide the point." Mya sighed.

"The point is where are these kids going to go?"

"They have to stay here, at least for a little while."

"But I have duties! How am I going to take care of two Were kids and be a Dark-Hunter?"

"Train the boy. He's strong, he'll be good. That way he can protect his sister."

Until then?"

"They stay here. It's the only solution I can think of." Mya sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"What about hunting?" She prayed that Ash wouldnt tell her to stay in 24/7. She would go nuts.

"Go out a few days a week and do your job. But keep these kids safe," Ash's eyes darted to the kids. "Daimons want these kids and that means we can't have that." Mya crossed her arms and looked down.

"Ok. Go get Tori. I'll up date you in a few days." Ash nodded.

"Call me if anything happens." Mya nodded.

"Bye Al." Ash waved his hand at the squire.

"See you Ash." And then he was gone. Mya laughed as Rayne jumped as Ash teleported away.

"You friends with him?" Mya nodded.

"As much as Ash could be friends."

Rayne lookes puzzled, but didn't say a word.

"Well, guess what kiddies? You get to stay here."

"We're staying here? For how long?" Rayne asked.

"Until I teach you how to fight." Rayne looked down right shocked.

"You're going to teach me to fight?"

"Yep. Be ready when I wake you up tomorrow, kid, you're getting your first fenncing lesson."