The Equinox by TempDuLoupe

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Prologue Chapter 1

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Today, or rather tonight was an unusual night.

Tonight was the first time, in nearly 25 years, that the full moon was to take place at midnight on the Equinox of the seventh month.

For most people this incidence would have barely registered as anything other than a fun fact and moved on with their day. However for a small group of people, it was quite the cause of worry.

"We don't even know if it's going to affect us or not," Rikki replied dismissively to Emma's comment on the dangers of being moon struck.

"But the fact that an equinox is known to be a 'magical' day and the fact that it's also a full moon is cause to be worried or at the very least cautiously prepared," Emma rebutted.

"Ladies, Ladies there is no need to argue, we'll moon proof the café just to be safe. We've done before and been safe and we'll do it again" Zane interrupted the girls. Rikki had gotten back together with him after three months of making him prove he had matured. The truth was she had missed him and he had missed her.

The girls muttered their agreements and dropped the argument.

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Zane had closed up the shop early to allow the crew to start duct taping cardboard over the windows and doors.

"Well, whether the moon is strange tonight or not doesn't matter anymore because WE won't be seeing it," Cleo chirped happily as she stowed the duct tape in a drawer behind the counter. It had taken them nearly an hour to completely seal the entire restaurant.

"I'm just surprised your father's let you spend the night here after what happened last time," Will intoned as Lewis nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, Rikki's Dad might not care, no offense, but I don't get how you talked your fathers into letting you have another 'girls night' here," Lewis wondered aloud.

"Easy, I told him it was going to be at Emma's. Then Emma told her parents that she was sleeping at my place, Bella's parents are away on business and Rikki's Dad doesn't care or know about what happened last time," Cleo answered happily, thinking that it was a fool proof plan.

What she didn't know was that she had left her pajamas at home, and her step-mother, realizing this called Emma's house.

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"Hello this is Mrs. Sertori, I just found Cleo's pajamas and thought I ought to call you and ask if she needs them or if she's borrowing something from Emma," Sam asked politely.

"Um, Cleo isn't here, in fact Emma said she was sleeping over at YOUR house tonight," Emma's mother replied confusion seeping into her voice.

"Are you sure," Sam asked as understanding crept into her mind.

"Yes, where could they be," Emma's mother asked worriedly.

"DAD, SAM there is a party down at the Café can I go," Kim's voice whined from the stairs. The younger girl had received a text from one of her friends who was in the area. Apparently the boy had seen several older teenagers going in that had yet to come out.

"I think I know where they are, Don and I will meet you and your husband at the cafe," Sam instructed.

"Of course, we will be right over. Do you think they could be in trouble?"

'If they aren't now then they will be when Don finds out that Cleo snuck out again,' Sam thought worriedly about her step daughter.

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"THEY WHAT?!"

Don Sertori was usually a rather laid back man. In fact only a few things really upset him: A lack of fish in the area, his daughter, today's teenagers, family arguments, lying, outright dishonesty, his TEENAGE DAUGHTER LYING TO HIM! And of course the teenage boy that probably tricked her into lying in the first place.

As of late it seemed his daughter had started lying more and more for no apparent reason.

So it was with this extreme frustration that was only shown as anger that Don Sertori drove himself and his wife down to Rikki's Café, mentally preparing himself to ground his daughter for the rest of her life.

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With a twitching eye, the Sertori's met the Gilbert's in the parking lot of the café.

"How are we going to handle this," Neil asked uncertainly, Emma hardly ever did anything wrong.

In fact this had to be her worst offense to date.

"We are going to barge in there! We are going to break up their little party! We are going to dish out some punishment!" Don said assertively as he began his march towards the Café.

In his haste he completely ignored the fact that the windows were covered in cardboard and that the café was mysteriously silent for the party that was supposedly taking place.

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The girls were sleeping on the floor of the café in their sleeping bags side by side, while the boys had taken the office and were still awake playing Mario party 8 on Wii (on mute so as not to wake the girls).

All of a sudden they heard the tinkling chimes of the café's side door.

Thinking that one or all of the girls had made a moonstruck run for it they dropped what they were doing and grabbed the tranquilizer pistols that they had started keeping on hand after an incident a few months ago involving Rikki and a minor forest fire.

Guns at the ready they launched themselves through the door aiming at the ground where the girls were…still sleeping?

Looking around for the source of the ringing bell the four boys' eyes widened in surprise when they saw not one set but two sets of parents staring with a mix of anger, confusion, worry and slight fear at the boys who were carrying, what appeared to the world, to be rather high caliber handguns. The boys realizing what must have happened lowered their guns. Zane raised a finger to his lips in a vain attempt to prevent the parents from waking the moon prone girls.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS GOING ON HERE!" Don Sertori bellowed angrily at the four boys.

On the floor the four sleeping girls bolted up and looked around for the source of the noise and saw…a beautiful moon, shining invitingly to them through the door of the café that was still being held open by a dumbfounded Mrs. Gilbert.

The room exploded into action, all four girls hurled themselves towards the only parent free door, which coincidently the door closest to the ocean.

As if on cue the boys began firing what appeared to be pink feathered bullets at the girls, who began hissing and growling.

That was new.

"Pa lalau kahua luarii," Bella purred sultrily at Will, who ducked her swipe but couldn't avoid her as she pushed him against a wall and kissed him hard. The kiss was like nothing he had ever felt before. He felt light like a cloud but tethered to a beautiful angel.

Before he could stop his hands they brought the pistol up and aimed for Lewis. This wasn't right he knew he wasn't supposed to do this but it was like he wasn't in control of his body and he was losing more control by the second.

"Lewis look out I can't stop, she did something to me. Guys don't let them kiss you."

Zane, Lewis and Ash turned on Bella who realized that now that her sisters had escaped to the sea she was alone with the man creatures and they knew not to let her close enough for her to use her other moon born gifts of seduction.

"Luakula Pariiua Kapuaano," Bella hissed menacingly before running at the boy closest to her planned exit and fluidly running up the half wall, pushing off the counter and doing a midair spin kick towards one of the people with a gun, knocking it out of his hands with one foot and unconscious with the other. Without another pause she propelled herself out the door, off the dock and into the water waiting below.

Lewis turned his gun on Will and fired, what was obviously a tranquilizer gun at Will lodging the feathered projectile in his shoulder.

Quickly retrieving the duct tape Cleo had stashed earlier, he stood Will up with help from Ash and began to tape his anesthetized friend to one of the columns in the middle of the room.

Ash propped an unconscious Zane up in a booth and left to retrieve an ice pack.

Lewis turned and stared awkwardly at the parents who were still shell shocked by the fight scene and

clean up that had only taken 3 minutes if that.

"Well."

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED."

Surprisingly it wasn't the initially enraged father that shouted this, but the incredibly confused and frightened Neil Gilbert that had just shouted profanity at the four boys.

"What do YOU think happened," Lewis asked stupidly hoping to god this was just a nightmare.

"I think our daughters have psychotic boyfriends who kidnapped them drugged them with some bad LSD and when they escaped…I'm sorry that sounded too weird even just saying it," Mrs. Gilbert said trying to make sense of it all.

"The drugged part would explain their deranged hissing and growling, and that creepy nonsense that Bella was babbling," Sam continued.

"Kalua lapununu Nalueana, Bella, my Bella," Will was coming to from his position on the column. Ash had returned with an ice pack for the now awake but groggy Zane.

"Wha-where are the girls," Zane asked stupidly.

"Gone they escaped," Ash explained worriedly.

"We have to find them."

"NAHLUEANA, Kalapaku Mako. Mako must get to Mako," Will groaned half intelligibly, the strange babble Bella had been speaking returning, "Mother Moon is calling me, My Mate is calling me. By the Trident release me human."

"Not you too, Will come on fight it," Lewis groaned, slapping Will lightly with both hands to finish waking him up.

"Release me so that I may find my Mate and join my sisters, NOW you Kalukian Coral headed soil lover," Will spat on the floor and began writhing within his binds.

"Great, Just Great," Lewis slapped his forehead in frustration, "Now we have FIVE moonstruck lunatics to worry abo—oh fuck it."

Will had wormed a space in the tape and ducked down and out of it and without hesitation ran out the door in the direction of his Speed boat with was docked right where the girls had dived in.

"Worse full moon ever," Ash and Zane said in tandem.

"CAN SOOOOMEONE PLEEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY OUR DAUGHTERS AND YOU HAVE ALL GONE INSANE," Don Sertori finally woke up enough to remember he was angry.

"Um how about in the morning, we have to go catch the girls before they hurt anyone or themselves," Ash answered quickly and signaled to Lewis to grab the emergency kit.

A moment later Lewis emerged from the office with a large black bag stuffed with unknown items; the bag was big enough to stuff a person in.

Without answering, both the boys left the woozy Zane where he was and proceeded to hop in and start the zodiak which rapidly disappeared leaving only a wake and a group of confused adults.

"Oi, Zane, What is going on?" Don asked the wincing boy as he was popping an Excedrin in his mouth.

"All I can tell you is that your daughters and their friends are special and they go weird on the full moon. Ash and Lewis have gone to get them," Zane explained his headache starting to dissipate.

"Are...are they werewolves?" Mrs. Gilbert asked faintly.

"No."

"Vampires?"

"No I can't tell you, it's not my secret to tell," Zane said wincing slightly.

"Why do you have guns, they can't be that dangerous they're just teenage girls," Sam asked confused.

"They are VERY dangerous on a full moon," Zane continued, "they lose their conscience and are willing to destroy or maim anything that gets in their way of what they want."

To emphasize his point he lifted his pant leg to reveal a hand shaped burn that was still healing from the last full moon.

"They are all dangerous but Rikki and Emma more so than Bella and Cleo. They can kill faster and are more willing to do so than the others. Cleo couldn't or wouldn't hurt a fly unless provoked and Bella is more likely to seduce you than hurt you."

"H-have they ever killed anyone?" Sam gulped nervously.

"Not that I know of but they were almost angry enough when Ryan and Sophie…and I almost destroyed their…nest for lack of a better word," Zane explained as best he could his head feeling much better after that extra strength Excedrin.

"You helped …destroy their…nest?" Neil asked cautiously not really understanding.

"It's more of an underwater lair, and I didn't mean to destroy it I was trying to get some of the priceless gems it has," Zane explained blushing in shame, "I learned my lesson."

"You mentioned Rikki and Emma being able to…kill faster?"

"Um, yes it's hard to explain without telling you everything and that's not up to me. But yes they basically just have to wave a hand at you and you die. Cleo, even in this state she doesn't like to hurt people but she can make it look natural, almost as if you just got surprised and had a heart attack. In fact she did it to me once. Would have killed me if she hadn't stopped in time."

"M-my Cleo…is she going to be okay," Don asked Zane's confession had him afraid for his baby girl, "Is there anything we can do to help."

"THAT Mr. Sertori is the best question you've asked all night."

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It was nearly 3 in the morning with the bright beautiful moon floating high in the velvet navy black sky.

Will wanted nothing more than his Mate, his Destined, and his lover.

Ash and Lewis weren't more than 3 minutes behind him, chasing him down as he neared the moon pools underwater entrance and dropped anchor.

Without fins or even removing his shoes he dived overboard and swam as fast as he could through the tunnel.

When he surfaced he was surrounded by the four mermaids who were all speaking the strange language of the moon and sea. He understood them.

"Hello lover."

He turned in the water in time to see a giddy Bella throw her arms around him and pull him tight against…her bare chest.

"What happened to your top, my love," Will asked not minding the slightest.

"Not a single clue lover, it was gone when we changed. Isn't it great," she giggled happily, before trapping his lips with her own and forcing him to sit on the Moon Pool's steps with her in his lap.

"Absolutely marvelous," he said gasping a quick breath and continuing to explore her mouth with his tongue.

Just then Ash and Lewis surfaced in the center of the pool, right in front of the trio.

"Guys you have to snap out of it. Bella you hurt Zane that's not like you at all," Lewis implored them before stopping short, "What happened to your tops and where are Cleo and Emma?"

Both Ash and Lewis stared at the two exposed girls.

Swallowing to clear the nonexistent frog from his throat, he was about to continue when Cleo shot out of the water in front of him and kissed him hard on the lips. Ash realized what was happening and attempted to pull her off of Lewis.

Just as the two broke apart Lewis' eyes glazed over as he pushed Cleo against the rocks and began fervently kissing him.

Before he could reach them, a white hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around in the water, the owner of the lips found his and slowly and softly began caressing them with a smoldering heat.

None of the seven noticed as the moon shifted into place over head and the water bubbled.

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It was six o'clock in the morning and the Moon wasn't going to set until eight.

The Gilberts found themselves frantically worrying about their daughter and her friends that had disappeared during the night. At the present they were huddled on Don Sertori's pontoon boat.

Said boat also held Zane Bennett, who was directing Mr. Sertori towards the infamous Mako Island.

It seemed that every time trouble had arisen in the past few years it always ended up having some connection with Mako.

"Alright when we land the boat, get it as far up onto the beach as possible or the girls won't want to get on," Zane instructed, as they pulled around to the girls favorite beach.

On the beachlay a pair of teenagers who were as naked as the day they were born.

"That had better not be Emma," Mr. Gilbert groaned with anxiety. The two naked figures were pressed up against each other and it didn't take a genius to figure what they had been doing.

"Now I need to know if you can follow my instructions," Zane asked, he couldn't have a bunch of rogue parents running around when the mermaids were still vulnerable.

"These are our daughters and we know how to deal with them," Don retorted, attempting to jump off the end of the boat to the beach.

Zane leveled his gun at Mr. Sertori.

"I don't want to have to do this, but I know for a fact that if you run out there half-cocked like this and start yelling at them, you probably aren't going to come back alive. They can't control themselves when they are like this and they won't recognize you as a friend or father," Zane explained, he really needed to get going.

"If we can't handle them, then we should call the police," Sam offered already pulling her phone out. Zane grabbed it and pocketed it in one smooth move.

"If you do that and the police find them like this, not only are you risking the officer's life, you're risking your daughters. They are VERY SPECIAL and if they are discovered…let's just say none of us would ever see them again, even if they survived."

A startled hissing noise came from behind them as the Blonde girl on the beach woke up and saw them. Immediately she stood and began pelting her way to water which was only 30 feet away.

Bam.

The Blonde girl fell to the sand unconscious, a bright pink feather sticking out of her arm. She was 15 feet from the water.

The noise had obviously awakened the boy, who cursed in the odd fluid language he had spoken earlier and ran to the girl who had fallen. Without delay the boy attempted to pick the girl up and run to the water.

Bam.

He hadn't even managed to come to a full stand when he too dropped to the sand, his charge falling horizontally across his chest.

"Listen, if you love your daughters you will each take one of these guns and a set of towels," Zane instructed and was immediately obeyed as the four adults grabbed the necessary supplies and followed Zane off the boat.

"Keep your guns at the ready; you never know where they are. Mrs. Sertori, keep an eye on the ocean they're fast swimmers and it's not an obstacle for them."

Sam followed his order and turned to the sea looking for any boats or swimming people. The rest of the group gathered around the fallen couple.

"It's Bella and that Benjamin boy."

The adults started to wrap the children in blankets, and carried them back to the boat.

Once there, Zane used rope to tie them both to the rail of the boat.

Sam having been trained in first aid and when she decided to do a full work up and lifted Will's eye lid she immediately jumped back with a yelp.

"What is it?"

"H-His eyes! Come look at this."

The group gathered around the normally blue-eyed boy and gasped as Sam lifted his eye lid again to reveal bright purple irises.

Curiosity peeked, they moved over to the unconscious Bella and opened her eyes with a finger.

The blue was gone, replaced with a shimmery green the color of Seaweed.

"I've never seen a stone like this," Mr. Gilbert said fingering the moonstone pendant that was glowing where it laid over the blanket Will was wrapped in.

"That's because there are only eight like that in the world," Zane explained pulling his own out along with Bella's, making sure they stayed far enough apart.

"Wow, even for you that must have been expensive," Don whistled, "Why would you even want them."

"They weren't expensive. In fact they were free, they come from a place where only the girls can go. Actually others can go, but I wouldn't recommend it, a couple others and I tried to mine them and almost died trying," Zane explained as he finished the last knot.

He stood up without another word, and went to the helm.

"Why are we leaving?"

"We aren't, I'm just going to take the boat around the island to see if we can spot the others."

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It wasn't even ten minutes later that the group on the boat spotted two speed boats, bobbing in the water near the volcano's cliff.

Pulling alongside they hooked the boats with a pole and dragged them up to the Pontoon.

"They're empty," Sam stated the obvious.

"Yeah and they left their equipment behind meaning that the girls got them and we have two less allies and two more enemies."

"Enemies? They're children, they're your friends," Mrs. Gilbert said astounded at his words.

"Until the moon goes down, they don't know that, so we have to act the same."

Zane started rifling through the large duffle bag from earlier. It held a small vial of green ointment labeled 'EMERGENCY ONLY', sixty extra rounds of tranquilizers, microfiber towels, clothing, ear plugs, Eight pair of dark glasses, 4 mini oxygen tanks, Rope, flippers, and a large raw tuna wrapped in plastic.

"That looks more like an eccentric overnight hunting bag with a snack than, 'Equipment'."

"Trust me this stuff works."

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Having left the boats where they were, Zane pulled the pontoon around to a small beach less than 100 ft. from the moon pool.

"From here we go on foot, Sam would you mind staying with our sleeping friends," Zane asked and then turned not waiting for a reply, "Good. Shoot them if they twitch."

The group began hiking up through the forest towards the stream the trickled down into the moon pool through a crack.

Not even halfway there, a figure with long blond hair that covered her bare breast came stalking towards him.

"Zane…oh Zane….come here….I want you… nothing but you… my lover… my Mate," Rikki said in a slow seductive voice, her hand outstretched in a come hither movement. Her now Golden yellow eyes inviting him in.

Bam.

She dropped to the leaf litter. Zane ran to her with a blanket and began tying her to a tree.

"H-how did you do that, she wasn't even talking to me and I wanted to do everything she said," Mr. Sertori shuddered.

Zane reached up to his ear and pulled out a silicon ear plug.

"That's why we have ear plugs," Zane said pulling out two more pairs for Don and Neil.

"What about me," Mrs. Gilbert asked fretfully.

"They only have power over men," Zane said before popping his ear plug back in and starting to walk.

They reached the stream to find a naked Ash face down in the dirt snoring loudly.

Mr. Gilberts face distorted in anger and he ran up to the boy and kicked him awake intent on learning his daughter whereabouts.

Instead of getting a startled but apologetic teen boy, who was faced with his angry girlfriend's father, Ash hopped up into a crouch and growled loudly attempting to grab at Neil. His Silver eyes shifting back and forth.

Bam. He fell back to the floor.

"Oi, do that again and I shoot YOU. Really, are you trying to get yourself killed," Zane said angrily, as he wrapped and bound Ash to the nearest tree.

"I thought it was only the girls, that were 'Special'," Neil said shakily.

"Usually they are, but we have no idea what happened last night. It was a special full moon. The boys could just be under the girls' control, or hell they might have been changed themselves."

Before Zane could continue, the bushes near then rustled and Cleo popped out. She looked different, her eyes were bright teal blue instead of brown, and her hair which normally only reach her shoulders, now covered her breast and reached to her navel.

"Hello, Zane have you seen my Lover, I can't find him," Cleo asked in polite airy voice, a smile on her face.

"Would you be talking about Lewis?" Mr. Sertori started up angrily. HIS daughter DID NOT have a LOVER.

"Of course, Don. He is my Life Mate," Cleo giggled happily.

Zane wasn't ready to shoot her, she seemed amiable enough. Perhaps he could get her to the boat of her own free will.

"He is NOT YOUR LIFE MATE," Don said angry that his daughter was so dismissive of his presence.

A strong hurricane force wind blew at Don, as Cleo's face contorted in anger.

"Cleooo," called a voice from the forest and the wind stopped immediately as a butt naked Lewis stepped out of the trees. His eyes a startling Lobster Red.

"There you are lover, I've been looking everywhere for you," Lewis said oblivious to anything not Cleo. He immediately walked to her, wrapped his arms around her and began nuzzling her neck lovingly.

"OI, GET OFF MY DAUGHTER," Don shouted at them.

Bam. Don hit the floor.

"I warned him that if he did that I'd shoot him."

"Now Lewis, Cleo would you like to go on a boat ride together," Zane offered placating.

"Silly boy, why would we ride a boat when we could swim," Cleo answered about to jump in the stream that led to the ocean.

Bam. Bam.

The couple dropped.

"Well, when negotiations don't work."

This time the Gilberts assisted Zane as he wrapped and bound the teenagers, all the while wondering if this was some insane dream.

"Mrs. Gilbert stay here and watch them, like I said earlier shoot them if they move and that includes Mr. Sertori."

The pair, headed up to the hole that admitted entrance to the Moon pool cave.

Singing…beautiful singing floated through the air. It didn't seem to have words or meaning it was just liquid vocalizations.

Oddly it wasn't coming from the cave but further up the mountain.

Looking up, there was Emma her normally long straight hair was down to her thighs and was wavy. Her blue eyes were now lighter almost a shimmery chrome with dark silver rings.

"Aaua Laua, Kalua," she repeated her voice carrying for miles.

Bam.

Emma fell the 8 feet down into Zane's waiting arms.

This time her father took her and wrapped her exposed body, before coiling the rope Zane handed him tightly around her.

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An hour later the group found themselves back on the boat, with a group of unconscious teenagers tied to a rail and one groggy Mr. Sertori who had finally woken up from his human dose of tranquilizer.

Zane was watching his watch impatiently.

After about 15 more minutes he smile triumphantly and announced, "The full moon has set they should wake up any minute."

"What does the full moon have to do with them waking up I thought you tranquilized them," Sam asked.

"No, I tranquilized Mr. Sertori with an actual sleeping dart. The others I hit with water from a desert oasis that was blessed by an aborigine's shaman," Zane explained, apparently the natives have had to deal with mermaids before.

"So are they some sort of demon or something," Lisa, Mrs. Gilbert asked to be called, asked.

"When they wake up it's up to them whether or not they want to explain it," Zane explained.

They waited in silence as they the next ten minutes passed by.

"Look they're starting to move," Neil pointed out.

"Ughhh, what happened," Bella was the first to wake up. She froze when she realized she was surrounded by adults.

"SHIT! GUYS WAKE UP, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED!" Bella shouted at her friends who were also tied up and had only just began to move.

"Huh, what are you talkin—oh shit, fuck, we've been captured. Guys I think Denman got us," Rikki had woken up and was thrashing violently until she saw Zane, "Uuum, Zane what's going on."

"You guys went absolutely psychotic last night. You put the boys under some sort of spell and started running around naked. We found Bella and Will on the beach and I sincerely doubt you guys used a condom," Zane said bluntly. He was exhausted and more than a bit irritated.

"WHAT?" Will and Bella screamed

"Oh my god Bella I am SO SORRY please forgive me I couldn't control myself, I don't even remember doing it," Will started begging for forgiveness.

"No, no it's my fault I'm the one who dragged you into all of this. I'm SO SORRY Will please don't hate me," Bella sobbed, she was sore and her muscles ached.

"I could never hate you Bella I love you, I'll understand if you want to break up thou—"

"There will be time for apologies later, first WE want some answers," Neil interrupted.

"uhhhh." Was all the seven teens could manage.

"Emma, I thought we had a no lying policy in our house," Lisa started, "Why didn't you tell us about whatever this is."

"Oh my god, Mom, Dad I'm SO SORRY I was just so scared. I thought you might try and take me to a doctor and that they would lock me up and dissect me," Emma started sobbing.

"Sweet heart it's going to be alright, just tell us what happened," Neil soothed.

"Before they do that maybe it would be a good idea for us to untie them and let them get dressed," Zane said.

Ten minutes later the teenagers were dressed and sitting in a circle on the boats deck.

"Guys I think we should tell them, they already know something is going on, and personally I'd rather not have to hide in my own home anymore," Emma tried to persuade her friends.

"Yeah, me too. It'd be nice not to have to sneak out just to hide at the Café on a full moon," Cleo agreed.

"They're your parents tell them what you want," Rikki said, Bella nodded along with her.

"That's cool and all but I still want to know what happened last night," Will continued. He held Bella tightly to him as she sat on his lap. He'd never forgive himself for doing that to his girlfriend and holding her reassured him she wasn't going to evaporate and leave him forever.

"Of course that was just weird. The last thing I remember is diving into the moon pool to get you guys and then nothing," Ash said, his arm around a nervous Emma.

"Same here, I remember Cleo's face then nothing," Lewis agreed, his hand rubbing up and down Cleo's arm reassuringly.

"This is by far our worst reaction to a Full moon. EVER," Rikki said leaning into Zane's side and hugging him.

"We'll figure it out, for now we have to go tell our parent's the truth," Cleo said gulping at the thought.

"Guys, we've decided we are going to tell you the truth," Emma announced to the parents who had been whispering in their own group.

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They all took a seat on the couches at the stern of the boat.

"So are you going to tell us what you are," Neil asked nervously his hands squeezing him knees to keep from fidgeting.

"Yes."

Emma took a deep breath to calm her and let it out slowly.

"We're mermaids."

Silence.

"What do you mean your mermaids," Sam asked confused.

"Well, when we touch water we grow a fish tail, we can stay under water for hours at a time, we have special magic abilities and we each have a power over water," Rikki continued for the nervous Emma.

"Oh."

"Show us," Don said his face clear that he didn't believe them.

Each of the girls stood up and walked to the edge of boat. With a large splash that sprayed the group, they landed in the water.

Ten seconds later

Three bodies thudded to the boat deck. While four girls stared wide eyed over the edge of the boat at their boyfriends.

"So THAT's what happened last night," Lewis stated stupidly as he stared at his bright red tail with his now bright red eyes.

"No kidding," Ash agreed poking at his silver and black tail.

"Whoa," was all Will managed as he stared at his iridescent blue purple tail, his purple eyes following the tip as it moved.

"G-guys we're different too," the girls said from the water. The attention returned to the water where the girls were floating stomach down.

It was obvious as to why. Each of their torso's were bare of their normal breast coverings. Their tails were no longer the same orange they had known since becoming mermaids.

Bella's tail was a mix of shimmering greens, while Emma's matched her eyes and was white with silver fins. Rikki's tail was golden yellow with red rimming the edge of each scale. Cleo's was turquoise and gradated to a deep blue then violet at it reached the tip of the fins.

"Can someone help us back on the boat-aaah," Cleo asked, before anyone could respond two dolphins came up beneath her and pushed her onto the deck.

"What the hell just happened."

"New powers I'd guess, no one's been through the Moon Pool twice or maybe this is just what happens when a mermaid becomes an adult," Lewis inferred.

"Let me try something else," Cleo said, she raised her hand in a palm up lifting motion and the water holding the girls raised up and with a dropping motion deposited them dry on the deck.

"Ow, thanks Cleo, next time try to be a little more gentle," Bella said as she sat back on her newly returned legs, glad that her clothes had returned.

"Before we start playing with our new powers maybe we should dry off the boys and finish our explanation."

End of Prologue

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Nearly a year had passed since the Gilberts and the Sertori's had joined the group.

And today was not one marked with happiness. Today was the day that Harrison Bennett's Will was to be read.

One month ago he had died in a tragic car accident. He had just started walking from his corporation's main office building towards a nice restaurant not even half a block away to meet a colleague of his for a business lunch.

He had stepped off the curb at the cross walk when a texting driver obliviously ran the red light bowling over Mr. Bennett killing him instantly.

The driver was in jail on a manslaughter charge, having pleaded guilty.

Zane however was sitting with his girlfriend Rikki for support as the Lawyer started reading the will.

"To Zane Harrison Bennett. I know that in recent years we have fought over a great many things. I just want to tell you that I am sorry and I never meant it. To prove this I leave everything I own to you. However there is one stipulation. You must marry Rikki Chadwick within one month of reading this will. I know I haven't always been supportive of you two, but I want to make it up to you. You have my blessing and I want nothing but the best for you two."

"What."

"Do you wish for me to repeat your section of the will Mr. Bennett?"

"No, no um can you explain what that marry Rikki Chadwick part means," Zane asked his eyes wide and voice faint.

"It means that to collect the money and assets your father left you, you and I assume this is Ms. Chadwick will have to legally be married inside of one month," the Lawyer explained calmly. It was an odd will, but still he had the job of executing it.

Thud.

Rikki had let go off Zane and fainted, falling sideways off her chair onto the carpet.

"Rikki, Rikki I need you to wake up," Zane said half ready to faint himself. He wasn't sure he was ready to be married, he wasn't even nineteen yet.

Shaking her head she opened her eyes and stared at Zane like he was some sort of alien species never before seen on earth. Which was rich coming from her.

"Did I just dream that," Rikki asked dazedly.

"No, but you are going to need to get up, we need to talk about this," Zane helped her up from the floor.

"So how much money are we talking, hundred thousand, five hundred thousand," Zane asked, he knew his father was rich but he had never really talked bank statements with him. Besides the café could use all the help it could get and a hundred thousand would go a long way.

With a raised eye the lawyer handed Zane a piece of paper without saying a word.

Zane read it, read it again, counted the zeroes and fell over sideways off his chair.

"Zane, Zane?"

Smack.

"Huh, wha," Zane asked confused as he looked up at Rikki and rubbed at his smarting jaw.

"Up you go," Rikki repeated his earlier action.

As Zane sat in his chair, Rikki picked up the piece of paper he had been reading.

She read it, read it again, counted the zeroes and –

"Breath Rikki," Zane instructed taking the paper from her hands and making sure she didn't fall over again.

And she took a breath… and another and another in quick succession and before she knew it she was hyperventilating.

"If we don't get (gasp) married (gasp) in a month (gasp) you're going (gasp) to lose (gasp) 6 (gasp) BILLION DOLLARS," Rikki finished with a shout.

"That's the gist of it," the lawyer offered helpfully. The couple glared at him.

Rikki took a shuddered deep breath to calm herself.

"Uh sir, can you leave for a moment we need to talk in private," Zane turned to the lawyer and ordered him out.

The Lawyer obediently stood up and left locking the door behind him. As the Bennett executor he received 1 percent of the will and let's just say that if they need to talk he was going to let them, seeing as the only way he was going to receive that 6 million dollar pay check was if those two lovebirds got married.

"Rikki, you know that I love you, right," Zane asked carefully, he didn't want her to think he was only asking this for the money.

"Y-yes," Rikki answered weakly.

"And-and you know that eventually I was going to ask you to marry me," Zane continued a bead of sweat rolling down his nape.

"I g-g-guess," Rikki stuttered her body trembling.

"This…situation has just forced my hand a little early is all," Zane explained. Letting go of her hand he walked over the scotch decanter and poured himself a finger of the brown liquid. He stared silently at it, as if waiting for it to do something before grabbing the decanter and taking a large guzzling swig, completely forgetting the small glass he had poured himself.

This caused a broken giggle sob to break from Rikki's lips. Then she snickered. Then she laughed before outright guffawing.

"HAAAAAAHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA HAHHAHAHA, oh my god this is crazy," she laughed before going silent, "this is psychotic, certifiably loony," she finished in a whisper.

Zane stared at her.

Rikki stared at him.

"Will you marry me," Zane asked casually as if he was talking about the weather.

"Sure," she replied as if he had just offered her an experimental juice at the café.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

Zane grabbed her from her seat in the arm chair and pulled her into a searing kiss which she immediately responded to. He pulled back from her.

"We are getting married," he said with a stupid grin, "Come on I'm going to get you the prettiest ring in the universe."

With that he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the office.

"See ya, Mr. Grainer we have a wedding to plan, we'll send you an invitation...maybe."

0-0-0-0

The first place they went was a fancy and rather expensive custom jeweler.

"How can I help you," the man behind the desk asked cordially.

"I just proposed to this lovely lady and I find myself in need of a ring," Zane said as he swung their clasped hand up so he could kiss her knuckles.

"I suppose it was a spur of the moment thing then," the employee asked grinning.

"Yes quite the surprise for both of us," Rikki laughed happily.

"So what kind of ring would you like, princess, double band," 'Chad the Conceptualization Specialist' asked, his name tag giving him away.

"Mermaid," Rikki and Zane said together.

"What?"

"The ring it has to have something to do with mermaids."

And so they began telling him what exactly they wanted.

"Alrighty, it's definitely going to be unique," Chad announced as they finalized the drawing, "How much are you willing to pay for this." Chad always hated this part, because more often than not the spur of the moment proposers didn't have the kind of money necessary for an extravagant custom ring.

"Between Ten and Twenty thousand," Zane said happily, it wasn't as if they couldn't afford it.

"Uh, uh I can assure that will be MORE than enough," Chad replied his mouth hanging open, "It probably won't exceed 5,000 and that's pushing it."

With that they rung up a general contract and Zane pay the down payment and the couple was on their 'Marry' way.

0-0-0-0

"Why is it that you laugh EVERY single time I say I don't want a mermaid cut for my wedding dress," Rikki demanded as her Maid of Honor Cleo and her other bridesmaids Bella and Emma snickered again.

"Oh, come on you have to admit it is kind of ironic," Bella laughed.

"Not really, you have to admit the mermaid style is kind of ugly looking," Cleo offered.

"Exactly and THAT is why she is my Maid of Honor," Rikki smiled.

Just as she finished saying this, an employee of the dress shop hung up a dress that Rikki had yet to try on.

The dress was cream-white with light near-white, golden-pink flowers that were barely discernible unless it shifted in the light. Around the waist was a silk sash that matched the champagne color of the flowers.

It was strapless and Rikki wanted it.

However another bridesmaid with another group had obviously been sent to retrieve it first.

With little mulling over the morality of what she was about to do she twisted her hand and melted the rubber sole of the woman's flats to the floor.

"Rikki. You can't do that to people," Emma scolded as she cooled the shoe enough for the woman to move again. The girl seemed to think she had either stepped in gum or on a carpet staple, but by the time she looked back up the dress was off its individual wall rack and all that was left was a rustling curtain from the dressing room.

A few minutes later the Rikki reappeared wearing the dress, it fit her perfectly; both size and personality wise.

"It's perfect. I absolutely love it. I mean can you imagine it with a pair of white elbow length gloves, and some jewelry," Rikki preened ecstatically.

For once all the girls had to agree the dress was phenomenal.

0-0-0-0-0

The day had finally come.

"Isn't having your wedding on a beach a bit obvious," Bella asked as the girls sat in the lower cabin of the boat preparing for the wedding.

"So, I love the beach and that's that," Rikki said dismissively.

It was true, for a mermaid getting married on the beach was kind of an obvious choice but she loved Mako and as she said that was that.

"How do you want your hair," Cleo said as she brushed Rikki's navel length hair, "there is too much of it to put it all in an up do."

"Half down, half up and curls I want curls and twist," Rikki chattered happily. Today was going to be perfect.

0-0-0-0

On shore the boys and the Parents had just finished setting up the Ceremony space as well as the tables and chairs for the reception.

It wasn't hard seeing as the only people attending the party were the Parents of the girls and Ash whose dad had been told less than a week after the change.

"This is a bit weird, I mean one minute they're broken up the next they're getting married," Rikki's dad shook his head disbelievingly.

The couple had decided not to tell anyone about the money, they knew they loved each other and they didn't need people lecturing them on marrying for money.

0-0-0

After a brief and tear filled ceremony that had ended in an obnoxiously long kiss, the reception started with food (and wine) was passed around as the couple cut the cake.

"Toast," Ash shouted a bit tipsy.

"Alrighty, I have something to say to you guys," Emma giggled after sipping her fifth glass of wine.

"Rikki, you might just be the craziest person I know and that's what makes you and Zane so perfect he's psychotic too," She finished by falling into Ash's lap and kissing him hard.

"Hear, hear," the group cheered.

"Okay, hey guys I want to make an announcement before I pass out," Zane chuckled at his own joke, "Do any of you remember that time I asked about who owned Mako Island."

The teens acknowledged the past conversation.

"Well, apparently it belongs to the government and they were willing to part with it for a cool 15 million dollars…So I bought it," Zane was grinning ecstatically.

The group exploded into questions