Sharkbait

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 place 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,” 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 place 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 place, but Vicki is eighteen and a security risk. Vicki would need her own apartment in the same building. Why not find a bigger place to rent?”

“A bigger condo won’t help since we can’t bring in more wolves for security,” 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 we come 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?” Noelani 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 plans,” 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 they come 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 the extra security. It makes more sense for me to return to Miesville or Three Sisters where the Pack can protect me. I'll pay for the housing so you guys can stay, though.”

Susan thought about it. “I could talk to Hammer about taking us all in at his place. 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 a laugh. “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 Noelani, 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 my laptop 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 Island for week-long diving trips. It had to have room for scuba gear, a crane for a shark cage, and a swim platform 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 house in Coronado.

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

“I don’t see any leases available 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 plan, 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 play 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 accountant back. “Stan, you know I’ve done shows for Discovery Channel, right?”

“Of course, Vicki. The latest is in editing now.”

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

He thought for a minute. “Nothing, but it’s all about risk. When the network fronts all the money, they take the risk. The producers pay people to appear and set the budget. If it is successful, they reap the benefits.”

“And they make a lot of money off of my appearances,” I said.

“True. If you appear again, you could negotiate for a larger cut, but you risk the producers choosing someone else.” I did have a following, but no one was untouchable. “If you produced it yourself, you pay all the costs and take all the risks. You would need to form a production company, hire workers, do the filming and editing, then sell the finished product. If it sells for a lot, you make a lot of money. If no one buys it, you eat the whole cost.”

“But as a business, I could write off expenses against future profits,” I said.

“Absolutely.”

It would be one big step towards making myself more than just eye candy, and I’d be in control of the final product. I was still worried about how the incident on the research boat would get edited for when the show came out. I wasn’t at fault, but the one constant of reality television was that sex and conflict sell. They could make the scene look any way they wanted with the right editing, and I had no right to block it under the contract. “All right, I’ve found five yachts that meet my criteria. I’m emailing them to you in order of preference.” I sent the files along.

“I’ll start calling right away and let you know if any are interested in the lease.”

We agreed not to say anything over dinner, but I could see Makani and Noelani weren’t happy. Once the call was over, I started researching the production of shark documentaries. The articles I found were light on production costs or profits, but I recalled that Bodyglove had partnered in the production of my Cape Cod documentary.

I asked Amy and the twins to join me. “Why do you think people will watch the documentary on sharks I was part of,” I asked them.

“Cool shark footage,” Makani answered.

“It’s Shark Week, and it's new stuff,” Noelani answered.

"You're a good show host," Amy said.

“There’s lots of shows with amazing camera footage out there, and lots of hosts with far more shark knowledge than me,” I replied.

“Yeah, but you’re famous, and you can explain things without making people feel stupid,” Amy said.

“Now you’re getting closer,” I answered. “There is one thing I have that the other hosts they considered can’t compete with.”

“What’s that,” Makani asked.

“A great set of tits," I responded.