Sharkbait Ch. 41-45

I hated the thought, but one time would not be that bad. "What is the other condition?"

"If I capture the two wolves, the Werewolf Council allows me to hold them captive until their deaths."

Adrienne shook her head. "The holding of werewolves by Vampires is expressly prohibited by the Treaty. It's out of the question."

Alexander got up and went to his desk, coming back with a scroll. He unrolled it on the table; it was a handwritten copy of the Treaty. "The specific language is that 'no werewolf will be taken prisoner or held against their will,'" he said.

"So how will this work?"

"They'll volunteer to remain in my dungeons to keep breathing," Alexander replied confidently. "I will ensure they never escape, and no harm comes to them; in return, they would supply me with a regular supply of Beta or Alpha-blood. When the child is born, Adrienne will take the child to its new home."

"The Werewolf Council would not agree to this," Adrienne said.

"It costs them nothing," Alexander said. "If werewolves capture the pair, you'll execute them after the child is born. If I find them, I keep them. Either way, you get the baby, and the rogue wolves are no longer a threat to the Packs. That is why I needed you here, Adrienne. I need you to convince your Council to approve the deal. Without this agreement, you're on your own."

"You would not carry out the contract, correct?" Adrienne's glare was unsettling.

"Of course not. We would return the money, but nothing prevents those two from hiring another hitman," he said. "It's the only way to remove the threat."

"I'm willing to provide the blood," I sent.

"I guess I have to speak to the Council," she replied. "It will take me a day or two to get an answer from the Council," she told him.

"And Vicki? Will you carry out your part?"

"I will," I said.

"Wonderful. I believe that concludes our business, then." We all stood, and Alexander put the bag with the money in my hand. "You paid for the evidence, so this is yours."

I took the clear bag with the cash. "I can't exactly walk through the hotel with this in my hand," I said.

"Quite right." We went back over to the secretary, and he pulled out a folded gift bag. I put the baggie inside, and he taped it closed. He walked us to his door. "It has been a pleasure meeting you, Vicki. I hope we can do business again soon."

I bet. I didn't miss how the vampire looked at my neck with longing. "Thank you for the warning, Alexander. We will be in touch." He held the handshake a little too long.

"I will contact you with the Council's answer," Adrienne said as she took his hand. "Now, if you'll excuse us, it's been a long day, and we need our sleep."

"Good night," he said.

We walked past the receptionist and did not have a chance to say goodby to Jack or Emily. Our security escort fell into place around us, one already waiting with an open elevator. "That was interesting," I said.

"Nothing out loud until we get to the car. You're right; it wasn't what I expected to hear."

"What now?"

"The hotel. I need to set up a Council meeting, and we need to keep you safe but in the general area. I'm sending you back to Baxter, where you can have more protection. Then I'll head to Killington to look into these two some more. There's something about this that doesn't sit right with me."

"I know Traci and Timothy are mad at their loss of station, but what did they expect would happen when the rape came out? I don't see how killing me makes it any better," I said. "There's no bond, and I have no interest in Timothy. They have enough problems as rogues without dropping two hundred large on a killing."

"Do you think it is someone else?"

"I think we need to find those two before Alexander does. Maybe then we can find out the truth."

We reached the parking garage, and our vehicle was waiting for us. As soon as we were in, the bodyguards ran ahead to our escort car and got in. Less than ten minutes later, I was back in the hotel room. "We leave at nine, breakfast at eight," Adrienne said as she left me in the double-room with my Mom. "We have a lot to talk about tomorrow."

"Thank you for everything tonight," I said as I hugged my aunt. I told my Mom everything that had been going on since we left as I took a quick shower. She was not happy I'd let Alexander drink from me, but understood why I did it.

We fell asleep shortly after.

The next morning, I was dragging. I needed more sleep, especially after the two weeks of work at sea. If I looked tired, Adrienne looked like she hadn't slept. "Change of plans," she said. "Leo and Brent hired a plane and flew out late last night with Chairman Wolfe. They should be arriving in Killington within the hour," she said.

Lewis Wolfe was the Midwest regional Council member and a close friend. He was planning to recommend Adrienne as his replacement before the events at the Summit. It said a lot that all three were on their way out East. "Unky Leo blew a gasket, didn't he."

"That's an understatement. Leo and Brent aren't happy about what Alexander did to you. I expect they'll be talking to you about that later." I bet. He was as protective as Brent was. "He's going to coordinate the search effort. Chairman Wolfe is calling the Council to Killington; they will meet tonight when the last arrives. Leo is asking every Pack in the region to assist with the search for Timothy and Traci. I'm going to take a driver and the smaller vehicle to Killington, while the rest of you head back to Baxter. I want you to get there quickly, but stay safe. You don't leave the car without two of them next to you."

"I understand." She left a few minutes later, while I was getting seconds on waffles and bacon. My guards were getting a bit nervous, especially when some people recognized me and came up to ask for autographs. They all relaxed when we were on the road again.

I called Amy and filled her in on what was going on. "I'll be in Baxter for a week or two," I said. "I don't know if my Dad will make me postpone the Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach appearances next weekend, or our gig the following Tuesday at the Navy Exchange."

"That sucks for you; it's easy money and fun," she said. "I'd love to join you out east, but I'm not giving up any Kai time, and he's not going to travel while recovering from the training week." First-class flights, high-end hotels, fantastic food, and adoring fans usually made for a good weekend. Kai needed to sleep and prepare for the next week of training, and Amy knew being at home was more important. For the first four months of BUD/S, they got weekends off. He'd be training seven days a week from Halloween to Christmas, and then the travel started for him.

"What do you think of the revised event schedule Mercedes sent? I owe her an answer soon."

"I'm not giving up any weekends before the end of October, but I'm game for any weekday trips," she said. "November and December, I think we hit that hard in the southern hemisphere. I'd love to dive the Barrier Reef or South Africa with you, and when else will we have a chance?"

"I know."

"I'd love to see the world. Even if it is fuzzy, and I have a dog at my side," Amy said with a giggle. "I mean, Paris during Fashion Week? Hell yeah. Book me solid at the end of the year."

"The first runway model with a seeing-eye dog in a Bodyglove harness!" It would be nice to travel with her and keep her mind off Kai's training. "I'll see what I can do to get more midweek events for you in the meantime. I don't want to hide in a cave, Amy. I have to convince a few people of that."

"We can't be afraid of everything, right? You're an adult, Vicki. Stand up for what you want."

"Exactly."

"I'll talk to Steven about us traveling more," she said. "I'm sure he'll want more security than just the twins. Hell, he's probably sending people down here right now after the threats on you."

It sucked, and I didn't like draining resources from the Pack; sooner or later, they'd realize it was easier to keep me on Pack lands than to live in Coronado. I wanted to travel and find my mate, not hide out with minders. Everything else was ready; all our college classes are online this fall, so Amy only needed to be in Coronado to see Kai on the weekends. "Is your eyesight improving?"

"Every week," she said. "Even if I can't make everything out, that dive in La Jolla taught me I can still have my fun."

We sure did. "I need to figure this shit out, and then I'll let Mercedes know. Now, how is Susan doing with Hammer?"

Amy gave a little laugh. "Mom's reeling Hammer in like a marlin. She's spending every night at his place now. She comes home sore with a smile on her face; he's nailing her like a new roof."

"Good. Susan deserves to be happy again." Hammer was a great guy, and she deserved it.

"I have to go, Vicki. Call me tonight."

"I will. Tell the twins I miss them." I hung up and leaned back in the seat, watching the cars go by as we drove out of Boston.

Ch. 44

I caught up on sleep on the drive north, resting my head on Mom's shoulder. We stopped only for gas and food, and two men waited outside the bathroom at Arby's while Mom and I used the facilities. We got our food to go as one of the guards filled the tank, and we were back on the road. A couple of beef, bacon and cheddar roast beef sandwiches, curly fries, and a vanilla shake was my lunch.

The guys did their best to keep my mind off things, drawing me into conversations about my diving, my training, and food. There were far worse places to be stuck than Baxter's expansive lands in the summer.

We were almost there when I got a call. "Hi, Daddy," I said to Brent as he came on the video screen.

"Hey, baby. It's good to see you. You got a lot of sun out on the water," he said.

"I did, but with the time in the wetsuit and shirts, I'll need to even things out before my next shoot," I said. "I can't pose in a bikini with a farmer's tan."

"The tortures you have to deal with for your job," he chuckled. "There's plenty of sun at Baxter's beach for you. Take a few days to rest while we untangle this mess you've found yourself in."

"I didn't do anything," I complained.

"I know. Things just happen because of you and what you are. Adrienne explained what happened at the meeting, and I understand your reasoning for going ahead with it. In the end, the proof Alexander traded you is going nowhere. Our trackers could not pick out a werewolf scent, and we found no fingerprints or DNA on the package. His 'proof' proves nothing, and I don't trust him. No more offering yourself as a midnight snack for vampires, Vicki. He's dangerous."

"I had to find out," I said. "I couldn't live with myself if Amy or the twins are hurt because they are around me."

"We're going to find Timothy and Traci. The Council can sort this crap out, and you can go back to your work. Hopefully, this is only a few days."

I didn't want to be stuck here. "I have commitments, Dad. Bodyglove has me doing appearances at surf shops in Virginia Beach on Saturday, and Myrtle Beach on Sunday. I don't want to back out when I'm negotiating to make even more appearances with Amy in the future. It's important, Dad."

"I know it is. Your Uncle and I freaked out a bit when we found out what was going on, but we feel a little better now. Since the contract is still in play, but the Vampires won't act on it, putting you on total lockdown isn't required. To be safe, Mom's going to stay with you, and we're going to add some female security. Colleen Underwood has volunteered, and Three Sisters will send a warrior to meet you in Virginia. If you can let Mercedes know you'll need an adjoining room for them, you can keep your appearance commitments."

That was a relief. "Thanks, Dad. I'm more worried about human stalkers than Traci Lords, you know."

"I'm worried about your blind dates." I laughed at that, as my history with those was well-documented on Youtube. "I've got to get back. Have a safe drive, and I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Dad." I hung up and looked out the window at the trees passing by. Dad was right; I needed to rest after two weeks of hard work on the boat. Laying out on the beach and running in my wolf sounded damn good right now. "Any beach parties coming up?"

The driver just chuckled. "The boys started planning it as soon as they found out you were coming back," he said. "We're going straight to the lake. Alpha Anthony asked his Mom what you'd want for dinner, and she told him 'ribs.' They've been over the coals for an hour already."

Mmmm.... Ribs.

We arrived on Pack lands about three in the afternoon. I swam for an hour to get my exercise in, then spent a few hours laying out with the girls on the beach as we waited for the food to be ready. I was wearing my tan-through bikini, which didn't cover much, and there was no shortage of volunteers to help with the lotion. We watched the unmated males posturing to the girls as they played beach football, all of them trying to impress us. The girls mercilessly dissected their looks, personality, and equipment in the whispered commentary that had me laughing my ass off. The mated girls teased us virgins until our faces were red as beets.

As the dinner approached, I got up and went to the bathhouse to shower and change for dinner. I came back out in jean shorts, flip-flops, and a Bodyglove crop-top. The cooks were finishing up the ribs, and I had to know what they were doing. "No early pickings, even for you," Bonnie warned as I approached the massive charcoal-fired smoker. I could see a motor and chain on the outside, telling me there was a rotisserie system in the smokebox.

"I just wanted to know how you make it. I love barbecue, and I can't help comparing the regional differences," I replied.

"It's tough to barbecue this far north because all we have for wood is pine and poplar," Bonnie said. "I have to buy charcoal and add smoked hardwood chunks to make it right, and there aren't any pig farms nearby, so we don't do ribs often. The sauce is my secret recipe."

I tasted it; it was similar to a Kansas City sauce, but the sweetness was slightly different. Brown sugar was there, but there was more to it. I sorted through the flavors before I figured it out. "Is that maple syrup?"

"Got it in one," she said with a smile. "The rest of it is pretty standard; I go light on the seasonings, and the rub is just paprika and salt."

"I'd love the recipe. I'm sure Adrienne would love a taste of home."

"What part of SECRET RECIPE did you fail to understand, girl? Come on, then. If you're that much of a fan, you can help me slather them up."

Oh, hell yeah. Bonnie handed me a bowl and a sauce mop, then opened the door on the front of the smokebox. The inside had trays holding the ribs, the rotisserie system moving them in a circle through the smoke. The rotisserie ensured the ribs cooked evenly despite any hot spots in the smokebox. It was the same setup I'd seen back home at the Smokin' Oak. We each took a side, spreading fresh sauce on the ribs as they rotated past. It smelled amazing, and I couldn't wait to eat.

She closed the door as I put the stuff on the small table by the smoker. Other cooks were making dozens of ears of corn on the cob, a cauldron of baked beans, and a table full of Texas toast. "You guys went all out," I said with a smile to her.

"You were worth it," Luna Pamela said as she snuck up behind me and gave me a big hug.

I relaxed into my cousin's embrace. "I'm sorry I made you send people to rescue me."

"Are you kidding? Bored warriors cause problems. I got to send them on a real mission, into the lair of a vampire! It was a great training experience, and no one got hurt. Unlike this football game," she grumbled as she looked over to the sideline. A warrior was bleeding from a cut on his eyebrow as the Doctor sewed him up. "Tonight's party is a good thing because I'm sending thirty wolves down to Boston in the morning. Your father has rustled up a few hundred volunteers to search the suburbs for Traci and Timothy. Our assigned region is everything east of Route 1 up to Salem. We'll have wolves driving and walking through them until we locate their hideout."

Damn. That was a HUGE search area with hundreds of thousands of people in it. "Can't you narrow the search down?"

"We're trying that too. In the meantime, we will keep looking. Who knows? Maybe we'll get lucky." The search was the proverbial needle in a haystack. Regions made sense; all the wolves would recognize a scent that wasn't Pack, even if they didn't know the target's smell.

The food, the company, and the setting were perfect, and I relaxed and had fun until well after dark. I was walking back to the Pack House when my phone rang. It was Unky Leo. "Hi, Unky," I said as I answered.

"Sorry to bother you so late, Sharkbait, but the Council just ended its session. My mate presented the facts, and it didn't go well."

"What do you mean?"

"They were furious that the Master Vampire fed directly from you. Did you know that a vampire's bite creates a link between him and the victim?"

Oh, shit. "What do you mean, a link?"

"Adrienne didn't know either; it's not like either of us had to deal with this before. The saliva acts on you physically and mentally. Physically, it stimulates the production of blood cells so the vampire can feed more often without weakening you."

"Is that bad?"

"It doesn't cause any harm. Mentally is a different thing. Werewolves still cannot be compelled, but it removes mental blocks and makes you more compliant to their wishes. I'm sure you felt the pleasurable part of the bite. The effect is cumulative; the more bites, the stronger the desire to please the vampire. Often, the subject will become sexually involved with the vampire. The change allows the vampire to feed when endorphins are released, making the blood even better for their tastes. The wolves who returned after the treaty was signed had difficulties adjusting to life away from their Vampire masters, like a drug addict going cold turkey. Some even killed themselves, although we don't know if that was out of shame or loss."

Crap. "So, biting is out."

"Yes. We can't risk placing you around Master Corvinus again."

"That was part of the deal; Alexander said it wasn't negotiable." He needed me in October.

"It doesn't matter. The Council rejected the request to allow Traci and Timothy to be kept by Vampires, even if he catches them. It's cruel punishment to make them the slaves of a coven. No, they will face Pack justice when we catch them."

"Why didn't Adrienne know about this?"

"After the Treaty, the knowledge wasn't that important anymore, as we separated our kind from vampires. I didn't know either. You're the first known werewolf to be bitten by a vampire in over a century."

Wow. I wish I'd known more. I touched the spot on my neck where his fangs had entered. I shivered at the thought of being connected somehow to that bloodsucker. I couldn't imagine being kept in his prison, fed on time after time by him until I willingly gave him the rest of my body. "What now?"

"Adrienne is returning to Boston to give him our answer. After that, we will join the search with the other Pack volunteers that are flying in today. You will fly back home with your Mom tomorrow; there's no point in keeping you here now. We aren't going to trust your safety to a vampire."

It was a relief to hear this, as I wasn't keen on the idea of faking my death anyway. "If we refuse his deal, Emily rejects the contract. Another assassin could take it," I said.