“First, you have to understand why,” I said. “Corvinus was holding werewolves captive and harvesting their blood, but it was MY blood he craved. He had his familiar force my boyfriend and I off the road, nearly killing him.”


    “And for that, you killed him?”


    “It was preferable to war. I knew that as soon as Alexander found out Werewolves were storming the prison gates, he would drink my blood to gain power. The blood bag had sanguinarine in it before I started filling it with my blood, so Alexander never had a clue. The toxin weakened him, and I took a Japanese sword from his wall to decapitate him.”


    “The Honjo?” I nodded. “The Japanese people celebrated its return but never mentioned where it came from.”


    “Emily promised me half of the art and antiques in his office if I would help. She gave them all to me, knowing half was hot, and I’d have to deal with the FBI. She altered the will and made up the ‘Sharkbabe Room’ to convince them she was the innocent wife.” I shook my head. “The paparazzi are on my ass 24/7 now, while she took his billion-dor fortune and faded into the woodwork.”Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    “You came out all right,” she said. “I don’t want to be your enemy, Vicki, but I’m notfortable with you on my territory either.”


    “I’m no threat to you, Master Caroline. My associates and I merely want to remain in Coronado while we go to school, and Kai is in SEAL training.”


    “I’d like to believe that, but your behavior is that of a Pack carving out territory. Instead of the four of you, there are two more living with a human, and more wolves staying for weeks at a time.”


    “I had to deal with threats to Vicki’s life,” Steven said.


    “Amy’s mother visited and found her mate in a human friend of ours. She has to be here with him,” I added.


    “Renting a home is far different from moving into private property,” Caroline responded. “Let me make this simple. I will not allow more than five adult werewolves to live in Coronado, and no werewolf will own property there. If you cannot ept that, you should leave.”


    Kai, Amy, and I were three, Susan four. The twins were underage, but only for another six weeks. Luke wasn’t going toe of age this school year, which was good. “There are a few questions I have,” I responded evenly. “Makani and Nonie of age in October and are already enrolled in high school. I would prefer they both stay with their family until the school year ends.”


    She tapped her nail on the ss before responding. “I didn’t tell you who made up the five adults. If you want the twins to stay, another adult needs to leave.”


    “What about Susan’s mate? He owns the home, but he’s human.”


    “The rules apply regardless. If Susan changes him, he’s another adult werewolf in my territory, and he cannot own property. Either Susan doesn’t change him, or they sell the house and move.”


    “It’s the best deal you are going to get,” Steven sent to me.


    “I understand and willply, Master Caroline,” I said.


    “I would hope so, Vicki. You’re far too interesting a person to end up dead.” She stood up, indicating the meeting was over.


    “Thank you for your time,” Alpha Steven said. We shook hands again, and I followed Steven out of the office and to the elevator with his guard. “That was fun,” he said.


    “They are creepy as hell. I’m d I can’t settle too close to them.”


    Susan was waiting for us downstairs; we dropped the two men at the airport before heading south towards San Diego. We had a lot to talk about on the drive.


    Things would have to change under the new agreement with Master Vampire Caroline. Day visits were still allowed under the treaty, but overnights we couldn’t exceed five werewolves between the two houses. Kai’s mother, Kaia, made five; Kai, Amy, Susan, and I all counted for now. We all met back at our ce after Jiu-Jitsu practice with the twins and Luke to discuss options.


    “Whatever you choose, you need better human security,” Kaia said.


    “Can Kai and Amy live in base housing?” Susan asked.


    “There is a waiting list, and Kai is junior to almost everyone,” Amy said. “We get a housing allowance, but it isn’t enough to cover anything within an hour of the base. The only way Kai could sign the lease on this ce was because Vicki was paying a third, and his parents were covering for the cost of the twins. We can’t leave now, not with Hammer’s house down the street and the kids in school.”


    “What about apartments? Maybe a high-rise with security?”


    Amy shook her head. “That would work for us and maybe the twins if we got a two-bedroom ce, but Vicki is eighteen and a security risk. Vicki would need her own apartment in the same building. Why not get a bigger house?”


    “A bigger condo won’t help since we can’t bring in more wolves,” I said. “It’s only for eight months. I don’t want to sign a lease on something that isn’t month-to-month.”


    “What other options do we have,” Makani asked. “If we are going to have to leave when wee of age, it would be better for us to return to the Pack now before school is too far along.”


    “What do I do if Ricardo is my mate?” Noni had a look of panic on her face. “I know he’s in training, but I couldn’t live in Oregon if he is still here!”


    “That’s another reason not to make firm ns,” I said. “Susan and Luke have to stay unless they can convince Hammer to move back to Minnesota. Amy has to stay as long as Kai remains stationed at the base. That leaves the twins or me to stay here after theye of age.”


    “You’re the one who should stay,” Makani said.


    I shook my head, no. “I won’t force you out of school when I’m gone so much, and I have other options. I’m also the one who needs all the security. It makes more sense for me to return to Three Sisters or Miesville and have the Pack protect me. I’ll pay for your housing, so you guys don’t have to worry about that.”


    Susan thought about it. “I could talk to Hammer about taking us all in at his ce. He still one extra bedroom, a second if he gives up his man-cave.”


    “I’d never ask him to give up his man-cave, and he hasn’t even put a ring on your finger,” I replied. “How is that going, by the way?”


    “I’m dropping as many hints as I can, but he’s clueless,” Susan said with augh. “I can’t marry him until he knows about what we are. I should do that soon.”


    “After he proposes,” I said. “You have time.” We needed to split things up a bit. “All right, let’s divide and conquer. Susan, you talk to Hammer about us getting evicted and sound him out on at least temporarily putting us up. Makani and Noni, you two are on Coronado rental search. Look for a three-bedroom home or apartment, preferably with a month-to-month lease. Kaia, I need you to call the Pack and the Council if necessary. Find out where I can go that is close to Coronado without requiring the Master’s permission to live there.” After all, Packs could be in surrounding suburbs and areas all the time. There were a half-dozen Packs within an hour of the Twin Cities, and Minneapolis had a Master Vampire. “We’ll meet up here for lunch tomorrow and go over what we learned. Everyone brings their best option to the table.”


    With that, I took myptop out to the patio and sat in the warm breeze surfing the web. I was rich, I loved being out on the water and diving, and I didn’t have much stuff. Maybe living on a boat would be a solution? I started searching for yacht leases and didn’t have much luck; there were plenty for sale, but not for rent. I needed something with at least three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and enough space to live on for extended times. It also needed to be seaworthy so that I could take it to Catalina or San Clemente Ind for week-long diving trips. It also needed room for scuba gear, a crane for a shark cage, and a swim tform in the back. I quickly discounted the houseboat-style that couldn’t handle open ocean swells. Looking at the yachts for sale, I couldn’t find what I needed in anything under a sixty-foot motor yacht. The bigger boats were more like houses in terms of price, but still far cheaper than a home in Coronado.


    I called my Stan Greenberg for advice, exining to my ountant what I was thinking. “Buying a boat to live on is simr to buying a home,” he said. “You pay for slip fees and maintenance, but you don’t pay property taxes. You can go from ce to ce at will, which you can’t do with a house. With a big enough yacht, you can be VERYfortable living on board.”


    “I don’t see any leases avable in the range I’m looking at,” I said.


    “Most owners are trying to sell a depreciating asset, not lease it,” he replied. “You have the money to buy one, but if you don’t like it, you’re the one taking the loss while it’s on the market. Here’s what you can do. Find one you like that has been on the market for a long time, like six months or more. Maybe they want too much for it, or the market for that type of boat isn’t that big. Insurance, maintenance, and dock fees are draining the owners month after month. Offer them a one-year lease with an option to buy at a set price at lease expiration, with cash upfront. They might jump at the chance, hoping the market is better in a year.”


    It was a good n, and I certainly had the money to make it work. “I’ll keep looking.”


    “When you find what you want, let me know. I’ll go along, pretending to be the buyer. You’ll have to disguise yourself, so they don’t think they are dealing with a newly rich teenager.”


    “I’ll bring Susan along to y your wife,” I said.


    “You’re the least boring of all my clients, Vicki. Send me listings for the ones you like best, and I’ll make the calls for you.”


    I spent the rest of the day looking for yachts for sale at various brokerage houses within a thousand miles. I had an idea and called my ountant back. “Stan, you know I’ve done shows for Discovery Channel, right?”


    “Of course, Vicki. Thetest is in editing now.”


    “What keeps me from filming on my own and selling it to thework?”