Sharkbait Down Under Ch. 71-80

"What will happen with Caroline's estate? Is she married to someone?"

"Caroline was not married; unlike Vespucci, she wasn't planning to change identities or move to a new territory. Designating an heir in a competitive Coven can paint a target on your back," he said. "The Council requires all vampires to have similar languages in their wills to avoid entanglements in human courts. In a case like this, with the entire Coven leadership gone, what happens depends on how she structured her fortune. Many structure their finances as a private corporation and give their people stock, while others hold it closely. I suspect she isn't as trusting as I have been with my people." That made sense after hearing how Rick owned the security company. "The lawyers will handle the estate, and new leadership will come in. The vampire world is in the middle of a shakeup as new Masters arise, and others move where they have opportunities."

I'd grown up ignorant of Vampires in my country, so all of this political stuff with Packs and Covens was new to me. "I've got so much to learn," I said as I looked out over downtown.

"When you think you have nothing to learn, you are merely existing," he said. "I've been a vampire for centuries, and I never stop learning new things." Oksana brought over a Coke for me, and I thanked her for breakfast again before she retired. "What did you think of the land? Are you going to take it?"

"Vicki's picking out drapes for the home we haven't designed yet," I said. "I may need your help getting the coastal commission to agree with our plans." I showed him the satellite view of where we were hoping to build and what zoning laws were. "A hundred-meter setback from the high water line kills our dream."

"All of these are 'should' restrictions," Alessandro said with a smile. "I've dealt with government regulations and zoning rules more than I'd like to admit. Think of what the Commission's goals are, then tailor your proposal until its benefits outweigh the effects of the waivers."

"Like what?"

"Come on." We went to his conference room; the computer screen there took up most of the wall. Alessandro brought up the satellite view of the property along with the zoning laws. "The coastal development plan has two goals; minimal visual disruption of the coastline, and conservation of native vegetation. Are you planning to raise sheep there?"

"No, we'd like to let the land return to nature. All we want is to run on it without interference, which means keeping it private."

He backed the view up to show the peninsula. "You can donate land to a charity and take the tax deduction, and not allow the public to access it," he said. "You should consider redrawing the boundary lines if you do that. Combine that with an easement across the northern portion of the properties to connect the Blowhole Beach park area with the Talisker Park; the public good then outweighs the variance. A strip wide enough to put in hiking and bicycle paths would buy a lot of goodwill. The South Australian Government has inquired about buying the land, but it wasn't a high enough priority."

"We've talked about an airstrip on the west side, maybe some houses for Pack members who want to live close. The farmhouse here is all right, but the resort doesn't fit what we want. I don't know what they were thinking with that spaceship."

"Then put that in your proposal. Removing eyesores and structures helps, as will using historical designs and natural materials for your proposed structure. If you can show the Commission that the coastline will be better after your proposal than now, you have a chance."

The idea had merit. "If it doesn't work, can you come to the meeting and use your power to change the Commissioner's minds?" He looked at me like I was kidding. "Vicki wants this bad, and I don't want to disappoint her by saying we can't do it."

"We should probably come up with a great proposal first," he said.

"Nicholas? Linda called; she needs to talk to me in person."

"Is something wrong? Is it the show?"

"She has some rough cuts we can watch, but she needs to talk to me about personal things, too."

"I'll ask Alessandro if we can bring her." A few minutes later, Oksana volunteered to drive to the beach and pick up our Sharkbait Productions Director and her Merman.

Ch. 73

Vicki Corcoran's POV

Consuela was right; it was going to take a while to feel right again. My blood was already thin after my kidnapping; having Caroline treat me like a juice-box a little over a week later? Bad news.

I needed a blood transfusion, but Nicholas's blood wasn't compatible, and he had vampire blood inside him. It allowed him to heal quickly and made him immune to vampire venom last night, thank Luna. Alessandro told him the effects would only last a few days, maybe less since he'd used it for healing his gunshot wound and the slashes Caroline gave him. No one knew what would happen if Consuela used mermaid blood, and human blood would require a visit to a hospital and an explanation I couldn't give. When my Pack representatives arrived, we'd see if any of them had my blood type.

I turned on the news, resting back against the pillows in the bedroom at Alessandro's Coven. The coverage was breathless yet shallow; the police hadn't released all the details yet. A photo of bodies stacked high, decapitated heads piled like cannonballs on top, couldn't be shown without blurring it out.

I pulled out my phone and started checking messages. My family flying home from their time at Mermaid Beach didn't say much. I sent a group text, telling everyone I overdid it last night and was spending the day resting up with my husband.

I was watching the weather when my phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Linda Cartwright, my mermaid friend and reality show producer. "Morning Linda, how is the party going?" I'd made sure she was around for the SAMM, Sharkbait's Australian Mermaid Mixer.

"It worked, Vicki! I found the one for me!"

"WHAT?"

"His name is Commander Matt Rooney; he is the Commanding Officer of Clearance Diving Team Four out of the Naval Base near Perth. He's four years older than me, never married, and OH GODDESS is he great in the sack," she said dreamily.

"Back up a bit, Linda. Tell me how it happened."

"I slept all afternoon and then worked until one in the morning instead of hitting the welcome party last night. I was finishing up for some deadlines, and I had to talk to my people in California. The time difference sucks, right?" Bedtime in Australia was early morning in the States, especially on the west coast. The only way you're awake for any time together is if one of you works nightshift. "I came down to the pavilion we have at the beach around midnight; I talked to dozens and dozens of guys, but nothing clicked, you know? I was about to give up because who wants an American woman with a demanding career who's pushing forty?"

"A smart guy. You're smart, courageous, and you still have a hot body," I told her.

"I was disappointed and told some of the other women that when I joined them at a table. They encouraged me not to give up yet because some guys were off doing some important stuff. I wasn't tired, so when they took the vans to pick them up, I asked to go along."

"What time was this?"

"Three AM, but I wasn't drunk or anything. We waited at the pier, and when Matt walked off the boat, and I looked in his eyes, I just knew. It was love at first sight."

"What did he think?"

"He just stared at me, unable to move for a few seconds. Finally, he walked up, put his hand on my cheek, and asked if I was real. I kissed him and proved it."

I could just SQUEAL. "That's SO hot! Did anyone get it on film?"

"Yes, but it's not going on your show because I'm behind the camera, not in front of it," she insisted. "Things were tight, so I had to sit in his lap on the way back. He told me about himself, and I told him what I did."

"How did he react?"

"He knows you, and he's a diver, so yeah," Linda said. "He retires next month from the Royal Australian Navy and was looking for a job, and I want to give him one. I want you to meet him and approve the offer I made him, Vicki."

"What did you do?"

"I asked him to be our new Dive Master for Sharkbait Productions. I know you originally planned for an all-girl for the Sea Scout, but that's not realistic, and we both know it. Married couples onboard can work, with females in front of the cameras." She was right; limiting it to just women was making it hard to fill out the crew. "We need someone with decades of diving experience, and that's been Matt's life. On the bonus side, if we ever need to disarm a sea mine or set a charge underneath a rival ship, we're covered. The Clearance Diving Team is part of the Australian military's Special Forces, like the SEALs, but he says they don't go more than a couple clicks past the waterline."

"He sounds like a good guy, Linda. I'm happy for you."

She giggled like a teenager. "Can I bring him to meet with you? I know you're probably tired, but Matt and I have to fly to Perth this afternoon, so it's now or much later."

Damn, that was fast. Linda meets a Navy guy at three in the morning, has him in bed by six, and is flying home with him by two. "Let me make sure it's all right. They've got me on bedrest at Alessandro's place downtown." I linked Nicholas, who made the arrangements. "One of Alessandro's people will pick you up from the hotel in about forty minutes," I told her. "I can't wait to meet this guy."

"I'll see you soon," Linda said. I hung up, excited that there was at least ONE couple that came out of this meetup.

I did some reading on the Web about the Clearance Diving Team and Australia's special forces. Matt would fit right in with Ian, Hammer, Kai, Manuel, and Ricardo.

I was reading about combat divers in the Iraq War when Nicholas told me we had detectives on the way up. The pair, an older man and his younger female partner, talked to the two of us for about twenty minutes. We answered their questions while staying within our cover story; Alessandro hired them for our security, we didn't talk much, the guys were professional, and we didn't see them after they dropped us at the pier. I pretended to be shocked when told the officers were dead, and I made the connection to the news I'd been watching. We wrote out and signed statements, and they were gone.

Nicholas got me more juice, then returned with Linda and a tall, dark-haired man with a close-trimmed beard and mustache. "I've seen you before," I said as he walked it.

"Quite," he replied. "Commander Matt Rooney at your service. We spoke briefly at your Surf Shop appearance in Perth."

"You asked me to sign my poster with a saying."

"United and Undaunted, it's the motto of our unit," he said. "You'll be happy to know you and Amy have an honored place on the wall of our ready room."

I could just bet; the photo from above of Amy and I free-diving in thong bikinis would fit right in. We spoke about his background, and I was impressed. "How are you two going to work things out?"

"I haven't the foggiest," Matt answered. "We'll figure it out. Once I retire, my schedule opens up a bit."

"Welcome aboard," I said. "Take care of her; Linda's the best, but she needs to take a break once in a while."

"I think we've already proven that this morning," Matt said with a grin. Linda blushed and smacked him, and we spent a little more time getting to know each other.

We spent an hour watching her rough-cut of the episode she was working on, which happened to be the caves off Rottnest Island. Matt had lots of stories about his diving career, including a few shark encounters that were a bit too close. All too soon, they had to leave.

"Thank you, Vicki," Linda told me as she hugged me goodbye. "I wouldn't have found him without you."

"If you'd gone to the surf shop in Perth instead of the hotel to start editing, you'd be married already," I teased her. There were only so many autograph sessions you could put into the show, and she'd reached her limit. "Send us an invite to your retirement ceremony, Commander. I'd love to see your unit."

That had Nicholas doing a spit-take and Matt laughing. "The boys would love to meet you, and I'm sure my lady would film it," he said.

"Linda, you know we were going to do a show about SEAL training? Maybe we could fit in a segment with the Aussie divers?"

"I'll talk to the Base Commander," Matt promised. "I'm sure I can find something that will look good on film. And thank you for arranging the meetup, Vicki. My nephew texted me that there are a dozen other couples out of it already. He found his woman too; she's a Mermaid from a fishing village in Mexico."

Nicholas looked up. "Maribel?"

"How'd you know?"

Ch. 74

The Australian Council Treaty was a foregone conclusion after the events of the last few weeks. Werewolves, Mermaids, and Vampires had proven themselves to each other in a way that built up the trust needed. Not every leader in each species in the world was that way, but our Continent had it.

Adrienne had provided a draft treaty and structure based on her experiences that made sense. Covens and Packs had top-down leadership that lent itself to single representation, but the Mermaids did not. Having one representative from each species would be simple but concentrated power into too few people to satisfy the Mers. It would also make things more difficult down the road if another Pack or Coven got started. In the end, we agreed on a nine-person Council, with each species having three representatives and one alternate. Changes to the Council Bylaws required eight of the nine to agree, ensuring fairness to all species. A three-person subcommittee could do day-to-day things like approving visitors.

I felt better after a blood transfusion, so the rest of our time in Sydney went smoothly. The Mermaids knew how to party, and I didn't even try to keep up. Consuela wanted to see the country, so we brought her along in a rental car. For security, we had two single Werewolves from our Pack who volunteered to drive us home.

Driving had been Nicholas' idea, but it was fine with me. I hadn't seen much of Australia yet, and we planned to stop to visit Pack members and unaffiliated werewolves at every stop along the way. I'd met most of them when we were in Bonnie Doon, but that seemed like a year ago now. Our visits were more relaxed, and I got to know my Pack members personally and share our vision for the future. "We can be a Pack all spread out like this, but over the decades, you'll feel the desire to move closer due to your wolves," I told them. "It's a natural impulse for your wolves to gather. We will help where we can; relocation allowances, help finding jobs in the Adelaide area, educational assistance at the local colleges and trade schools. The more often we gather as a Pack, the better your wolves will feel. We've got plenty of room for our wolves to run on, and the ocean is our backyard."

Six families didn't want to join our Pack. In all six cases, the wife didn't want to make the change, and the husband didn't want to risk another situation like Ian and Dorothy. Until that happened, the promise of a change and choice mating seemed worth the risk.

We stayed for a week in Bonnie Doon with the remaining sixteen wives who elected to make the change. All sixteen made it and became choice mates of their husbands. Our Pack was now twenty-five for twenty-five on changes, a success rate that defied belief. I asked Adrienne what she thought it meant on our daily conference call after I woke up, and she couldn't explain it. "I ran the numbers; it's more than a one-in-thirty-three-million chance of happening this way, Vicki. If you're this lucky, you should buy lotto tickets. I have to believe there is something else in play."

I didn't know how to explain it. "It's not you, Unky Leo. You weren't here for this set."

"And it's not you either," Leo said. "You were on tour when Adrienne and I supervised turns with Nicholas. No, I think this one is all Luna."

"What do you mean?"

"I think the Goddess took pity on your people for being isolated and alone for so long. The wives showed loyalty to our kind and bore sons and daughters to keep Her people going. It is her reward for them."

It was as good a reason as any. "How should I handle it?"

"Like the blessing it is. If anyone asks, you didn't do anything we don't do in the rest of the world, and the Goddess does what she wants."

That made sense.

The migration towards Adelaide was already underway. Ian stayed with his brother and his family while the divorce went through. Their family had found a place in Wirrina Cove, a small vacation town about fifteen minutes north of Cape Jervis along the St. Vincent Gulf. It was in the hills and had a view of the ocean, plus he could be at the marina in five minutes. In another surprise move, two sisters in another family decided to transfer to the University of Melbourne to Adelaide, and four more families were actively looking for jobs near us.

It was January 29^th, and we were visiting a family in Mount Gambier. I called my accountant back after brekky in response to his urgent message. Early morning in South Australia was late afternoon the previous day back home, so he was in his office. "Hey, Stan, what's going on?"

Stan Greenberg had been busy. "Vicki, do you remember that offer on the yacht I told you about?"

"Yeah, one-point-five if I paid cash by the end of January." It was a good discount, but I hadn't given him an answer yet because I'd been busy with other things.

"He called me today and asked if he could do anything to sweeten the pot. I told him it would cost us sixty grand to sail it to Adelaide and change the registration, so you were thinking about buying something down there instead. He panicked and offered to drop it to one-point-four if you paid cash by tomorrow."

"Money problems," I said.

"Worse. The owner has divorce problems, and the ex wants the money now."

"Let me call you back."

I had Nicholas in the room with me, and I set up a call with Amy and the twins, Ian, and my parents. After explaining what was going on, Mom urged me to buy it. "You like the boat a lot, and it's going to be a year or two until your home gets built," she said. "Then there is school; a boat in a marina could serve as an apartment in Adelaide if you don't want to drive a hundred minutes each way."

"Don't worry about us; we can find a luxury apartment or two until the boys get their next orders. It's not like we all can't afford it," Amy teased. "Our lawyer said the lawsuit settlement sailed through the Justice Department, and we should have our checks in hand next month." Consuela Vespucci had set this windfall up with her lawyer and ours. The seized funds from Vespucci's American account was going to the six kidnapping victims and Linda. She'd been added to the lawsuit because she'd witnessed the attack and the killing of our guide when he was feet away. The proposed settlement would give the six of us just over six million each, plus three million for Linda. The rest went to our lawyer. Naturally, the Government did nothing but was going to end up with half of it via taxes.

"I'll bring it down for you," Ian said. I looked at him in shock. "It's not like I have much to do right now, and my brother would love to take his wife on a cruise. We could take a month and see the world on your dime," he said with a smile.

"Could that work?"

"Sure, we're both ship captains, and from the photos, you've got an indoor and a flying bridge with modern electronics. You cover the expenses, and we'll get her here safe and sound."