Summary: Nick sets out to aid the Prince of Portland but little did he know that his actions were about to bring dire consequences to those around him.

In the shadow of the hunters moon

The next morning Freddy was busy stocking shelves when Nick slipped into the shop, he stood just out of sight of the windows and waited. He let out a laugh when Freddy jumped out of his skin as he noticed Nick finally, as he growled at him, Nick couldn't help but noticed the mirth in his eyes.

"The scumbags are locked up, no chance to see daylight for a very long time" Nick said as Freddy nodded in acknowledgement.

"That's a weight off my mind, thank you Nick. I ment what I said, this world needs more like you, and I don't just mean as a Grimm. You are a good soul Nick, please don't ever let anyone take that spark from you" Freddy added as he stood behind the counter and handed Nick a small package.

Nick opened it and found a small charm with in that he recognised from a few wesen's beliefs, looking up he was about to speak when Freddy held up his hand.

"It's a charm for luck and protection, I won't take no for an answer. This world is a little safer now and someone needs to watch over you while you watch over us" Freddy said as Nick nodded before slipping the charm onto the chain he was wearing round his neck.

"Thank you, Freddy, this means a great deal to me. I'm sorry to ask a favour of you again but someone's life is on the line" Nick said sadly making Freddy pay attention.

"Nick ask, if I can help prevent someone losing their life then I will" he said sternly making Nick nod and straighten up.

"6 bodies have shown up no connection other than the colour red, now a little girl is missing. So, I need to know have you heard anything about a rogue Blutbad in the area?" Nick asked Freddy with a pain in his voice.

"Blutbads are pack wesen, they rarely leave their family group so a rogue one is unusual. I've not heard about this one, but I do know of one who gave up that lifestyle. He's turned away from the hunt, from meat and from his family for the most part, he's not the one hunting but I bet he know something about him in order to stay out of his way" answered Freddy as he pulled out and address before handing it to him.

"Good luck Nick, I hope you get this guy he's a blight on our community" Nick hugged him and after taking the address he headed out and off on his bike.

Captain Renard walked through the Bullpen as he surveyed the open case files of his detectives, he kept an eye out for any evidence that he could pass on to the Grimm. The men and women he worked alongside where still on a high after the nights arrests, Renard wasn't about to burst that bubble his people needed the win. He was grateful for the Grimm's assistance and relieved to know that the accursed coins would soon be gone from his Canton, but for now his mind was on finding the young girl and his prayers on the Grimm finding them first.

He passed by Hank who was hunched over his desk as he scanned over a murder case involving a college student, she'd been found in pieces in the local woods all that was left of her was her shoes, MP3 player and bits of a red hoodie. It was one of those cases Renard was aware of possibly being connected to the Blutbad.

"how's the case looking Hank?" asked Renard as he sat on the desk beside him.

"Not much to go on, cause of death is inconclusive. Both human and animal DNA found in the wound, interviews concluded that she's a well-loved member of the college. Backgrounds clear too" Hank added as he threw down the file and sighed.

"Keep at it, check in with Meachem and Pogue they might have a fresh look on it" nudged Renard discreetly as he got to his feet before heading back into his office to check in with his spymaster.

Nick pulled up out of sight on the remote street, the house in question was old but well maintained. Nick chuckled to himself as he caught sight of the stained-glass wolf on the front door. Dismounting his bike, he took off his helmet and unzipped his jacket, pulling off his gloves he stored them alongside his sunglasses in his storge box he tried to look as normal as he could. Crossing the road, he headed towards the door but quickly he heard movement within the backyard, Nick silently moved to peer through a break in the fence.

What he saw cemented his belief he had the right house and the right man to talk to, beyond the fence an older but not old man was busy pissing up his fence. To an outsider this would be eccentric behaviour, but to a Grimm on the hunt for a Blutbad this was interesting. The only reason for him doing this was marking his territory, he was making sure no other of his kind would dare crossover into his space.

Returning to the front door he knocked and waited, shortly after he watched as a shadowed outline appeared on the other side of the glass. As the door swung open Nick stood there one hand on his hip, a relaxed posture, and a smile upon his face.

"If you're selling something dude I'm not interested, that also includes religion" spoke the man unimpressed as he looked Nick up and down.

"Edward Monroe?" Nick asked making the man stop in his tracks and eye him with suspicions.

"Who's asking?" asked the man cautiously as Nick lent in.

"The kind of person that understands the reason why you're out in your backyard at 9.30pm in the evening, marking your territory…"

Monroe looked at Nick in fear as he involuntarily woged coming face to face with Nick's Grimm side, his natural instincts began kicking in as he went to flee through the house when suddenly something made him stop. Shaking off his woge he looked the other man up and down, he was relaxed in stature, a hint of worry danced across his face while his aura was that of a calm and controlled spirit.

Monroe straightened up and looked Nick dead in the face.

"You're a Grimm?" he asked cooly as Nick nodded.

"I am" Nick assured deadpan but welcoming.

"How is it possible that your stood here and I still have my head?" he asked, Nick chuckle making Monroe feel somewhat nervously like a mouse facing down a cat.

"Because like yourself, some of us can break away from what our ancestors made us out to be" Nick's posture was relaxed as he went from resting against the doorway to standing there arms crossed none confrontationally with a smile on his face.

If asked in the future Monroe would answer that he didn't know what came over him, but he turned his back to Nick and invited him into his home. Nick was shocked but took the olive branch and followed behind, the interior was as cosy and old worldly as the outside was.

"So, I've never seen one of you guys before, heard stories about your kind all my life. I never thought I'd live to see one of you up close and live to speak of it. A Grimm, what do you know. My folks used to tell me story's about you guys. Scared the hell out of me as a kid.

How long have you been at this, we've never heard anything about a Grimm like you. So what line are you from?" asked Monroe as he led Nick into his kitchen and offered him a coffee.

"Kessler, though my parents were Kelly and Reed Burkhardt" Nick said cautiously as he knew his family name didn't sit well in the wesen world.

"Oh yeah heard of them" answered Monroe as he shifted on his feet, his eyes instinctively darting for the nearest exit.

"Their dead now, killed when I was 16, just after I came into my gifts. Was raised by my aunt but cancer got her years ago, so now it's just me. So, 13 years give or take" added Nick as Monroe didn't take his eyes off him, but still seemed to be enthralled with what he was saying.

This was the usual reaction Nick received whenever he was asked this question, or someone looked a little too deep into his past. He hated it, he was not his family, and he was far more than his name, he just wished he could prove that to the wesen world.

"look I don't want any trouble I'm not that kind of Blutbad. Or don't your books have anything about that" questioned Monroe as Nick stopped drinking and looked inquisitively at him with a smile on his face.

"You know about the books?" asked Nick quite impressed with his Blutbad companions bravery, he was aware that most wesen knew about the books the Grimm's used to chronicle the wesen of bygone years. He was just the first to question Nick actively and openly on them, in all his year since he's coming into his gift.

"Of course, I know about the books, we all do. Your ancestors have been profiling us for over 200 years" Monroe added proudly making Nick chuckle as he saluted him with his mug.

"That we have, and to answer you no. most books just chronical our hunting of wesen kind, very few have good things to say about wesen whether they are prey or predator" Nick answered sadly his demeanour and openness caught Monroe slightly off guard.

"but as you can see, I'm not so big and I'm done with the bad. And I stay good through a strict regimen of diet, drugs, and Pilates" Monroe added as he indicated to himself as if to show he wasn't a threat to anyone let alone Nick.

"So, what brought you to Portland? I'm presuming you're not from here after all? I think we'd all have known if a Grimm was living among us all this time" laughed Monroe followed by Nick.

"Yeah, I'd kind of stick out. Nope not from here and as for why that's best not known for now, let's just say I came to find something, I've found it now and soon I will be disposing of it for the betterment of us all. For now, though I'm fulfilling a favour, the royal who is a prince by the way. Met him, he's not too bad better than most I've run into.

Didn't even have to threaten him which is a change. He's asked me to look into a spate of murders that have led to the kidnapping of a little girl. They were all wearing the colour red" said Nick as he swallowed the last of his coffee and looked at Monroe.

"Dam dude that's messed up, poor kid" replied Monroe as he rubbed his hand over his head knowing where this was going.

"I don't bother the other Blutboden, and they don't bother me, but a little kid that's crossing a line. That the kind of thing that gets your kin hunting my kin and with good reason. Come on I might have an idea who you're looking for, but we need to move fast you don't have a lot of time" with that Monroe grabbed his coat and headed out the door, Nick was quick on his heels as they jumped in Monroe's car and took off.

Freddy was happily humming to himself as he cleared away the days mess, before closing up for the night. He'd hoped to see Nick once more before he finished up his mission within Portland before moving on, he had something he wished to pass on to him that might aid him in the future. He hoped that wherever he was at the moment he was getting closer to finding the killer he sort out. The gentile sound of the bell sounded through the store, since it was close to closing Freddy wasn't in too much of a hurry as he finished up what he was doing. Packing away the boxes he stood up and was met by an unnerving sight. Stood before him was a man who stood eye to eye with him in height, his blank expression and empty stare forced shudders through him.

"Can I help you" Freddy asked steely, as much as the guy freaked him out, he'd not long ago stood down a Grimm so a cold customer shouldn't be a problem.

"Where?...is?...the?…..Grimm?" growled the man.

"Not here, and if he's finished his task for the Prince of Portland he's long gone by now" Freddy snapped back, there was no way he was giving up Nick after all he'd done for him.

"Wrong answer" hissed the stranger as he woged and lept over the counter.

Freddy was barely able to defend himself as he fought against tooth and claw, after a short break he in the violent onslaught Freddy was able to woge even in his weaken state and use his speed to put some distance between him and his attacker. The Schakal was relentless as he pursued Freddy through the store until it was a battle ground of shattered glass and broken wood, Freddy was panting heavily against a large bookcase in the back of the shop as the Schakal stalked towards him.

"Killing me will do nothing more then turn the Grimm's attention on you. Plus, the Grimm is on the side of the Prince, do you realy think whatever it is you want is worth that much trouble?" chuckled Freddy as the Schakal growled before plunging a sharpened blade into Freddy's chest.

"I'm counting on it" hissed the Schakal in Freddy's ear as he faded from the world, after looking around he threw the blade to the ground and just walked out the shop as if nothing had happened.

Nick and Monroe drove for a while before coming to the edge of the forest, getting out they continued-on foot through the dense and darkening trees. Soon Monroe pulled on Nick's arm as the came to the very edge of a clearing just out of sight of a small, concealed house.

"This is it, we are just out of his senses range" commented Monroe as he passed Nick a small pouch of what looked like catnip.

"Wolfsbane?" asked Nick as he stuck his nose in the bag before pulling a face, Monroe just rolled his eyes.

Nick followed his lead as they approached the house before creeping round to the power box, pulling out a blade from his boot Nick proceeded to cut the power plunging the house into darkness.

"Dude, you just cut your own lifeline" questioned Monroe as Nick laughed.

"You can see in the dark, can't you?" he asked as Monroe shrugged.

"Yeah, and so can he"

"But can you track and scent at the same time?" Nick asked with a grin as Monroe got the jist of Nick's thinking.

"Not as well but what about you dude?" questioned Monroe as Nick took a moment to contemplate how much he was willing to share with the stranger he'd just met. His inner voice won out as it pointed out he was here with him to hunt one of his own kind, if he couldn't trust Nick then how could they work together.

"Most Grimms are born with semi heighted senses, better than a human's but now quite as good as a wesen yet. That bit happens during a right of passage of sorts. Tell you what we survive this, and I'll tell you all about it" agreed Nick as Monroe nodded.

Inside the house was eerily quiet as Nick went one way and Monroe the other, after all Nick had told him to find the girl. The Blutbad on the other hand was his by royal decree. From the living room Nick could hear the little girl's call from somewhere in the house, he could sense Monroes in trepidation as he slunk though the darkness. Then he found it the slow and steady pace of a seasoned hunters heartbeat just around the corner.

Reaching into its holster he removed his Dreifacharmbrust (handheld crossbow) before making sure his Vambrace (a leather forearm protector created specifically to battle Gelumcaedus that features a double-edged, ten-inch, retractable blade with a serrated edge.) was secure around his wrist and face covered by his hood before pushing on ahead. It took Mear seconds after he rounded the door into the next room before Nick was pulled into battle, his opponent was strong but sluggish.

It was quickly obvious to Nick that his adversary had grown fat and lazy on easy kills and was by no way at the top of his game, unfortunately for him Nick was. After one wrong move Nick dropped his attacker easily and forced him down with a swift boot to the throat were it remained keeping the snarling predator at bay. Nick listened in the silence for what felt like hours but was in reality mere moments until a barely audible 'Were clear' drifted over the silence.

Pulling down his hood the woged man hissed 'Grimm' at him just as every other asshole wesen had done throughout his life, this time though he was proud to hear it as it played into what he was about to do.

"That I am, and you are out of luck Blutbad. It is my great honour to inform you that on the order of the Crowned Prince of Portland's order you are to face death in a manner of my choosing for your crimes both great in number and horrific in nature. Any last words?" spat Nick as the unwoged face of his prey grew pale and his eyes wide as the realization of Nick's words sank in.

"I didn't know" he hissed through forced breath as Nick pushed down harder on his throat until a snapping sound was heard and the man's last breath was gargled and panicked as he choked to death on his own blood.

"No, you didn't care" hissed Nick to no one as he checked the body before following his senses back to Monroe.

"Is it?" asked Monroe as the scared girl clung to him for dear life, Nick nodded before holstering his weapon.

"It's done, now it's time for you to make yourself scares unless you would like to personally meet the Prince's agents?" Nick asked as Monroe put the girl down and shook his head.

"No thanks, being on the Prince's radar never ends well. Goodbye…..., dude I don't even know your name" realised Monroe as he looked at Nick.

"Just call me Nick for now, good luck edd…."

"Just call me Monroe most do. Hope you manage to complete whatever it was that brought you to Portland and gotta say it been terrifying to be around you" laughed Monroe as he shook Nick's hand before heading back to his car.

Once Monroe was out of sight and out of danger Nick placed a call to the Prince's contact, before waiting alongside the girl for pickup.

Pulling up outside of the spice shop, Nick intended to offer one last piece of news to his new friend before checking in with the Prince. Before heading out of Portland to dispose of the accursed Coin's once and for all. He'd also decided to leave a contact number for Freddy encase he was ever needed in Portland again.

He wasn't above admitting that he was intrigued to see how the Prince governed Portland over the coming years, or that having access to a friendly royal and wesen knowledge beyond his books would greatly improve his own survival. Plus, he had two somewhat new friends now he'd like to keep in touch with, after all a Grimm's life was often a lonely one.

Seeing the lights still on made Nick stop, an uneasy feeling took over him as he approached the door which was barely holding on to its hinge. Surveying the sea of broken glass and splinted wood had Nick treading lightly but swiftly until he was in the back most part of the shop. It was here he found Freddy slumped against the remains of a large bookcase, anger and pain filled Nick as he knelt down beside his fallen friend.

"I'm sorry Freddy. I will make whoever did this pay in blood" growled Nick as he felt his own control over his Grimm instincts slipping.

"D….don't give in" wheezed Freddy as Nick's attention snapped back to his friend.

"Hang in there Freddy I'm gonna call for help" commanded Nick as he reached for his cell, Freddy grabbed his arm weakly as the other slowed the bleeding from his wound.

"T….the safe…...inside…for you…must protect…tell no one….only a Grimm can" Freddy wheezed as he fought to breathe, for now Nick paid little attention to his words as he hit dial, calling the only person he could think of to help him.

Renard had to admit he was wholeheartedly impressed with Nick, when word reached him about the little girls safe return and the subsequent discovery of her killers dead body. He was also impressed with the girl's story of a break in, a fight and her escape during the commotion. The Grimm had a gift when it came to thinking fast on his feet, he also breathed a sigh of relief at the news that the killer was off the streets.

His detectives had found enough evidence to tie the killer to their six body's an another ten more spanning back at least six years. Word was there might also be other cases from other states too, somehow this Grimm in one night had done what his people and several other law enforcement units couldn't do in six years.

He truly was impressive.

Settling back into his seat, he looked forward to a quiet night for once. But that was soon dashed as his cell rung loudly, answering it Renard wasn't prepared for the news on the other line.

For the first time in his life Nick didn't care who saw him, as the stretcher crashed through the doors of St Joe's. EMT's fought to save Freddy's life even as they entered the hospital, Nick growled as he was stopped from following them but before he could do something rash a gentile hand landed on his arm. Spinning round to confront the owner he stopped as he saw who it was.

Stood beside him was the petite brown-haired woman he'd encountered in the Prince's hotel room; they hadn't spoken but her presence spoke volumes to him.

"The Prince was worried about you Nick, after receiving your call, he sent me here to make sure Mr. Calvert receives the best care he can be given. He's aware that you have become close to this Fuchsbau and a Blutbad over the short time you have been here.

Don't worry he's not going to harm them quite the opposite he'd planned on making sure both are well looked after, for their parts played in the events over the last few days once you'd departed. Now he will have the Blutbad watched, and Mr. Calvert's injury's attended to as best as they possibly can be" spoke the woman softly calming Nick's rage.

"Thank you"

"Serena….Serena Dunbrook" said the woman sweetly before wogeing into a Hexenbist and back again making Nick shudder a bit. They weren't the most attractive wesen, but Nick tried not to be insulting to someone based on their appearance, especially not a wesen that was as powerful as the one stood before him.

"My sister's and I work for the law firm Berman, Rautbort and Associates over by the Pd" she added as she handed him a card.

"just encase you need anything and don't feel like talking to or can't reach Sam for any reason" she said with a smile before turning on her heels to talk to the receptionist.

Nick took a seat in the waiting area, expecting for it to be a long night. Dam he'd not expected things to turn out like this when he'd rolled into town a week ago, first junkies, then a royal, after that a Blutbad not to mention meeting Monroe and now Freddy. Nick was beginning to wonder if this was why is ancestors went so dark?

It seemed at this moment in time easer to just become emotionless, numb to the world around him then feel all he was going through. Shaking his head, he tried to shake off that trail of thought, he was not his ancestors, and he never would be. Painful or not he was grateful for his feelings and the friendship's he'd made even if he did fear for his new friends and the danger, he may have put them in.