Sharkbait Down Under Ch. 51-60

I pointed at Vicki, then Amy. "I've seen them on the news," I said. "She's a diver or something? American?"

He put two more photos down. "You know these men?"

"Paco and Hector. They work for my husband; it was Hector who showed me the safe room yesterday, and Paco was sitting down there at the security desk."

"When was the last time you saw them?"

"I saw Hector when I came home from work. He told me to wait in the bedroom for my husband before he locked me in."

"I see." Reaching over, he unlocked the handcuffs. "Your story checked out, although your coworkers at the hospital are upset you got married and didn't tell them."

"Hernando told me not to tell anyone, and we'd have a big wedding in a few months."

"Mr. Vespucci is dead, Consuela. Hernando, Hector, and Paco all killed themselves rather than face trial over the kidnapping of the six American girls."

I shook my head. "No, it can't be."

"I'm afraid it is. Your lawyer will escort you out."

I stared at the door and started crying as the detective walked out. A few minutes later, a merman in his late twenties walked in the door. "Francisco de Leon, at your service, Mrs. Vespucci."

"Consuela, please. I never had a chance to get used to my new name."

"If you would come with me, we can get you out of here." He walked me out of the police station and past the cameras and reporters shouting questions at me. His driver pulled away as soon as we were inside. "Sorry about that, but there's a lot of international press interest in your husband."

"Why?"

"Billionaire Mexican businessman holding four teenage Americans as sex slaves? It's only going to get worse."

"Oh, God," I said as I leaned back in the seat. "I just want to go home."

"The mansion is a crime scene. I'm going to put you in a hotel for now, and my assistant will get you some clothing. Stay inside the room, and say nothing. Let me deal with the police and the press."

I did, even though watching the news was heartbreaking. I saw the girls as the police took them out, and Master Pontalba and his people somehow kept Vespucci's supernatural existence out. My dead husband was outed as a twisted fuck who abused girls and sold them into slavery.

Emily visited twice to update me on vampire matters, each time bringing me a bag of blood. She assured me that if I didn't want to be part of the Mexico City coven now, I had options. "I'd take you in Boston in a heartbeat," she told me.

"Do you trust Master Alessandro?"

"Yes. More importantly, Vicki does." She handed me a debit card and a phone from her purse. "There is one hundred and twenty-two thousand in this account, payment for the items the Vampire Council took from your home before the police arrived. It's a corporate account, completely untraceable, as is the phone." She then handed me an American passport. "A new identity, should you need it. Keep this hidden, just in case."

"Thank you."

"I've finished my work here, so I'm flying out tonight." She had used her power to guide the investigation away from me and the existence of supernatural beings. "My number's on the phone; call me if you need help."

As she left, I realized this gave me options. I could disappear, leaving the money and the drama behind if I wanted. I hesitated to do this because it was a LOT of money. Hernando left behind hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, and I knew the money was better off with me than a Coven leader.

I met with my lawyer after New Year's. I'd fed twice, both times from unsuspecting delivery people who wouldn't remember a thing. "Your passport," he said as he handed it over to me. "The case is closed, and the authorities are not charging you for what your husband did."

"Good. Book me a first-class ticket to Sydney, please. I need to get far away from here."

"Of course, Consuela." He made a call, then turned back to me. "What of your home? Your husband's fortune?"

"Liquidate it, and place it into an account for me. You have my limited power of attorney." It allowed him to act as my agent to sell Vespucci's estate.

His eyes got wide. "It will take a while to get a full accounting, especially as the government is still trying to determine if any of the money came from illegal sources. They're going to soak you for taxes if you move it offshore."

"I'm never coming back to Mexico, Francisco. Keep me posted on the progress; I'm leaving in the morning."

I was now one of the richest single females in the world, heading as far away as I could get from the nightmare my life had become.

Ch. 53

Vicki Lawrence's POV

I didn't see the rest of the girls before they left. Alpha Steven was still in Cancun for cleanup. He stayed to help Esmerelda and Master Monique Robinson remove any evidence of a vampire presence.

Alpha Steven did hire a jet to take the twins, Amy, Carly, and his remaining Pack members back to Eugene. The girls went straight from the police station to the airport and would rejoin the Three Sisters Pack as soon as they met with Luna Carolyn. With the FBI and the American Embassy helping hide them, the press didn't know they were gone until they were in the air.

Fiona was still at the hospital and kept me informed via the link of how she was doing. They took X-rays, and she saw a doctor. Fiona had two cracked ribs from one of them kicking her; she'd never let on that her injuries were that bad. How she was able to throw a knife accurately with cracked ribs, I'd never know. The doctor taped her up and released her with a bottle of Tylenol 500's for pain. Those rapists had worked her over good; her body would heal, but she'd never get her virginity back.

"Alpha, I'm leaving for the airport with Joseph, Nicholas' parents, and the rest of our Pack members," Fiona linked me late in the morning. "We've got a flight to Los Angeles in a few hours, then a stop in Sydney before connections to Melbourne and Adelaide."

"Have a good flight," I told her.

"Thirty-three plus hours of travel time by definition isn't a good flight," she complained. "It's no wonder I never found Joseph before now, with him hiding on the other side of the world. I still can't believe what I did when I finally DID find him."

"You have your mate, Fiona. You can get married, have children, and create something special down under." I could sense her longing for pups through the Pack link. "What you did for us will not be forgotten. Nicholas and I have vacated the remainder of your punishment. Go home and claim your mate as soon as his divorce is final."

"Thank you, Alpha."

"I'll see you at the wedding," I promised.

"You might need to have a press conference before you go, Vicki. It's a zoo out front with all the cameras. They even wanted ME to talk, but I don't get paid to be out front," she told me.

"Thanks a lot, Fiona." The press angle would need handling. I reached out to Nicholas, asking him to talk to my publicist and Linda about how I should handle them.

I was finally released in the afternoon, as the fluids and food helped stabilize my blood pressure at an acceptable level. I asked the hospital to set up a podium outside for a press statement; they gladly complied, happy to be getting rid of the circus out there. Adrienne had dropped off some clothes for me, so I changed while she and Leo went to get the car. I got dressed in a conservative Bodyglove shark print dress with grey heels while Nicholas gathered my discharge papers. I sat in a wheelchair, and Nicholas walked alongside me as the nurse pushed me into the hall.

We went out the front door, and I stood up and took Nicholas' hand as the press corps gathered around and shouted questions. I walked to the podium and held up my hand until they quieted down. "Hello, everyone," I said quietly. "I want to start by wishing you all a Merry Christmas. This Christmas will always be special to me because it is the day my friends and I got rescued from a fate worse than death. One moment I was excitedly talking to my friends about diving this incredible cenote, and then I was watching in horror as bandits killed our guide in cold blood. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of Juan and Santiago, who don't get to go home."

I paused for a moment, wiping away a tear. I squeezed Nicholas's hand and moved back to the microphone. "The girls and I survived, thanks to family and friends who never gave up looking, and the swift actions of the Mexican Federal Police to rescue us. They are all heroes to me, along with the anonymous caller to the tip line that set the rescue in motion. I'd like to thank everyone involved today, including the staff here at Angeles Metropolitano. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to spend some time with my fiancé and my family. Thank you."

The press shouted questions, but I wasn't taking them. Nicholas pulled me into his side and led me through the crowd and into the waiting car. Colleen pulled out before the door even closed, and a minute later, verified we had no tails. "Nice job on the press conference," Leo said from the passenger seat.

"I still get nervous every time a camera goes on that I'm not controlling," I said.

"Well, Linda's been busy. She wanted me to tell you that the season-ending episode of your show is going to be huge." The last episode was supposed to be our final tour stop in Acapulco, but now it would be our kidnapping and rescue. "Your publicist wants to know when you can sit for an interview with the press. She's fielding calls from every major network and news show, and Discovery Channel wants to promote your series with this."

Our series wasn't premiering until Sweeps Week in February. "What's the schedule for us?"

"We've got first-class tickets on a commercial flight into Boston. Master Emily has placed her jet at our disposal, so we'll use that to go to Chairman Carver's funeral in Lake Placid tomorrow night. They won't be happy to see me, I'm sure." Adrienne cracked up, and I looked between her and Leo.

"What did you DO, Unky Leo?"

"A lot happened we haven't told you about yet, Sharkbait."

"It's a long drive to the airport," I replied. "Spill."

Over the next thirty minutes, they caught me up on everything that happened while I was gone. I was sad to hear about the framing and murder of Lawrence Fenwick; he was a good wolf, and we'd already missed his funeral. I was shocked hearing what Leo had done, attacking Alpha Stan and faking the murder of Chairman Carver after accusing the Werewolf Council of being involved in our kidnapping. "Where were you when he was acting like a bull in a china shop," I turned and asked Adrienne.

"I was having drinks in New Orleans, actually," she said with a smile. "I went to find out if Master Pontalba set you up. Hammer and I were ready to kill him if he was a part of it. He wasn't, and he put together a coalition of Masters to take on Master Vespucci and his lawless Coven." She told me everything that happened. "Your Vampire friends came through for us," she said. "Without their help, we couldn't have taken on a hundred vampires without horrific losses."

"All this over werewolf blood," I said.

"Werewolf blood was a tool; this was about power and ambition," Leo said. "Vespucci wanted to be the Supreme Vampire. He wanted to start a werewolf war, then take over the vampire world and wipe us out."

Adrienne patted my leg. "Your travel schedule was on the Internet, but we haven't figured out how he knew about the Council moves. Somehow, Vespucci knew Lawrence went to meet you in Jamaica."

"I don't remember anyone there except the Council enforcers and Lawrence," I said. "I didn't scent any other wolves the rest of that visit."

"The four Enforcers returned home the next morning; we've verified that already," Leo said.

"What about Timothy Lords? Did you pick him up in the raids?"

All three people looked at me with blank expressions. "What?" Leo looked confused. "What does that little bitch have to do with anything?" Timothy was my fated mate, who rejected me at the Scratch 'n Sniff in favor of his girlfriend.

"I scented him at the Cancun hideout. He arrived with the vampires but never came to the building." I remembered how I felt when I scented him on the wind. I was over him, and I had another mate now. That didn't stop the feeling of betrayal I felt, knowing the man I helped rescue from Vampire captivity was complicit in mine.

"We had no idea," Leo said. "We'll find him, and you can decide what to do with him."

I just shook my head. My fated mate meant nothing to me now; he was dried up dog poop on the treads of my shoes, unworthy of my attention, just an annoyance. His actions resulted in my friends getting hurt and seven wolves dying, though. That could not go unpunished. "When the vampires arrived with him to the bandit's hideout, it was a little weird. They called Mateo 'Lawrence,' and Timothy didn't say anything."

"What did Mateo say?"

"It was more what Carlos, the leader of the gang, said to Mateo. We think Timothy hired the bandits to kidnap Vicki. He was going to pay a half-million for me, and Carlos was going to auction off the rest of the girls to slavers. Somehow, Mateo got involved and took over the deal. He negotiated $1.2 million for all of us. It didn't matter, as the vampires killed them all moments later."

"I never scented Timothy, but if he stayed with the vehicles, he probably bleached the whole area," Colleen said. "An air scent would never last that long."

"I'll put out a reward on him at the funeral today," I said. "If the vampires didn't kill him, let Mary do it." Lawrence Fenwick's widow deserved to get her revenge.

"I'll make it happen," Leo said.

Ch. 54

My growing celebrity made it impossible to get on a plane without being noticed. People recognized me in the security lines, the first-class lounge, the departure gate, and onboard the aircraft. I was an ambassador for Bodyglove at a time every human interaction could end up on the Internet, so I smiled and posed for pictures with them all. Leo thought it was best to stay away from us so he wouldn't appear in any photos and ruin the surprise for the other Alphas. Adrienne ran interference for me while Nicholas and Colleen watched my back. When it was too much, my Aunt would move me along, apologetically telling them that I was still recovering from my ordeal.

It wasn't all bad. When the flight crew realized I'd be on board, the co-pilot asked me if I'd like to board early. They invited me to the cockpit to watch them go through their pre-flight checks, knowing from the gossip magazines that I was interested in aviation. I enthusiastically agreed to this, spending a good twenty minutes in the jumpseat behind the crew's seating. I had to leave before they locked the cockpit, but I learned a ton. The Captain's daughter was a big fan, so I took some pictures with him and promised to send her some souvenirs.

Once the flight departed, I slept most of the way, waking only long enough to eat and drink some juice. When we passed through the tunnel to the terminal, the temperature reminded me that I was in the Northern Hemisphere. My lightweight Bodyglove dress was not in season. "I need clothes," I sent to Adrienne.

"I've got it covered," she told me. We made it through Customs and waited for Leo and Nicholas to get our luggage before leaving the security area. The press was waiting for us, and I didn't want to talk. Colleen and Adrienne put me between them, and we pushed our way through, diving into the waiting limo.

"There are clothes in these bags for you two," the young female vampire in the back with us said. "Adrienne called ahead and asked me to get them for you."

"Thank you, Melanie. I'm freezing," I said. I stripped off the summer dress and heels, replacing them with jeans, Uggs, and a thick L.L. Bean plaid shirt. At the bottom of the bag were driving gloves, a knit hat, and a North Face ski jacket. Nicholas was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a matching shirt and jacket. "Where are we headed, and can we get some barbecue on the way?"

Adrienne snorted while Melanie asked the driver to roll down the window and hand back the cooler. "Four-meat meal for eight, heavy on the ribs and sauce," she told us. "My Master left specific instructions on how to make sure you stayed happy."

"Emily knows me well," I said as I started filling a plate. "I've missed you so," I said as I gazed in wonder at the slab of ribs. I ate until I couldn't eat another bite, and then Melanie said there was pecan pie. "Definitely the start of a great friendship," I said with a smile.

"I'd like that," Melanie said. "Our Coven is so much better now, and we have you to thank for that."

We stayed in guest rooms in the Boston Coven headquarters building, out of sight of the press. "We go shopping at eleven; I've arranged a private room at Macy's," Melanie said as she left our room.

When the door closed, Nicholas and I were finally alone. I started tearing my clothes off, needing to feel my mate's skin on mine. He pulled his clothes off, then pulled me into his arms. It felt so good to be with him again, kissing and touching each other. He finally pulled back, looking down at me with a worried face. I was still bleeding from the miscarriage. "We can't," he said softly. "Your body needs to heal."

"My mouth doesn't," I said. I walked over to the bed, flopping down on my back and moving until my head was leaning back over the edge. "Bring that monster over here, my love."

"Whatever you say, my beloved Alpha," he said. He was hard as a rock, and the position allowed me to take him deep. He started playing with my hard nipples and my clit as I blew him, which is another reason why I love this position. His need was too great to hold out, and my tongue and throat weren't going to let him. It took less than two minutes before he let out a yell and started pulsing his cum straight down my throat, setting off my orgasm.

I kept him deep until he stopped, then backed off and licked him clean. The sex had worn me out, and he could see how tired I was. He picked me up and carried me into the bathroom, cleaning me in the shower before bringing me back to bed. I slept deeply, my head on his shoulder, my body clinging to his until our alarm went off at ten.

Breakfast was waiting on a tray outside our room, and we ate at the small table and watched the news over pancakes and bacon. There was a short segment showing my return to the United States and my press conference outside the hospital. The station cut to an interview with the FBI Special-Agent-In-Charge of the Human Trafficking Task Force. "It's so sad. I could have been one of those lost girls."

"As far as anyone knows, you are one of those girls. You're just one of the few lucky ones."

As we took the limo to the department store, I thought of what I might be able to do to help. Shopping was highly efficient, with two clerks and a manager bringing whatever we needed. The staff even had a gourmet lunch brought in. By three, we were on our way to the airfield, each of us with a suitcase full of new clothes.

I sweet-talked the copilot out of his seat, of course. Getting my pilot's license was on my to-do list, and Nicholas wanted to learn as well. A private plane would be great for managing a Pack with members all across the south of Australia. "You can be my co-pilot," I teased him over the link.

"And you can be the naughty stewardess," he answered back.

"Sexist!"

"Not my fault you're so damn sexy," he answered back.

The pilot let me do everything except land, and I was in a great mood as we entered the rental car Adrienne had waiting for us. I did another backseat change, donning a long-sleeved black dress with a skirt below the knees and a black dress coat. We arrived at the entrance to the Keene Valley Pack, and Adrienne rolled down the driver-side window as we stopped. "Miesville and Southern Cross Pack Alphas here for the funeral," she told the guard.