Chapter 1

"Well, it's not exactly the Titanic, but it'll do I suppose," Cleo de Nile yawned, pulling her sunglasses back down over her eyes in a bored fashion. She looked over her shoulder and saw her boyfriend Deuce Gorgon dragging her makeup trunk along the dock leading to their boat, looking visibly tired. "Deuce sweetie, you don't have to carry that for me."

Deuce sighed in what was unmistakably relief, "Thanks Cleo."

"That's what the servants are for." Cleo gestured matter-of-factly beside her, where about twenty of her personal handmaidens and servants were loading her and her friends' things onto one of two sailboats. The week long trip to the Scaribbean Islands that they and ten of their beast friends were taking could have easily fit them all together onto the cruise ship her father had arranged. But unbeknownst to the mummified Egyptian princess, Deuce and the boys had other plans. "So remind me why we're sailing these...things to the Islands again?"

"Remember that sailing camp I went to earlier this summer?"

"Vaguely," Cleo muttered, picking at her cuticles absentmindedly.

"Well, Clawd's got a bet going that I'm not as skilled at the helm as I say I am." Deuce might have been rolling his eyes, but due to his constant need to wear sunglasses so he didn't accidently turn someone to stone, Cleo couldn't exactly tell. "Wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't gotten Heath and Jackson in on it too, and now they're all betting against me. They think between the three of them, they can race me to the Islands in the other boat and beat me there."

"So you denied my father's beyond generous offer of a private cruise ship that could have carried the dozen of us together because of a childish bet to save your pride?"

"Basically." He looked at her expecting a lecture or even a very public argument right there on the dock, but to his surprise Cleo smiled, "Deucey, I have taught you well."

"You're not mad? I mean like you said, it's not the Titanic-"

"Oh, it's got charm in its own primitive way," Cleo waved off. "Besides, we have a luxury hotel suite waiting for us at the Scaribbean when we get there. I can survive a day on a rickety old boat."

"Awesome," Deuce grinned, kissing her on the cheek. "And don't worry, I'll win. Sailing's kinda in my blood, you know."

"I don't think just because the boatman of the underworld is a close friend of your mother's means that sailing is in your blood exactly," Cleo pointed out. Deuce opened his mouth to respond when a loud howl pierced the early afternoon sky and two tall figures began running towards the sailboat docked about fifty feet from theirs. They whirled around to see Clawd Wolf, the source of the howl, along with Heath Burns tossing their luggage aboard and leaping into the boat excitedly.

"You're goin' down, Deuce-ster!" shouted Heath, giving the gorgon a mocking thumbs-down while Clawd continued to howl and beat the helm like it was the horn on a car steering wheel.

"And this is why I sail in that boat," a deep female voice with a thick Russian accent said as Cleo looked to see Abbey Bominable, along with Clawdeen Wolf and Draculaura dragging their things behind them. "Make sure Heath not do something stupid. He know nothing about sailing, he just want to be in on bet."

"Please, please let me go in your boat, I'm begging you," Clawdeen pleaded, grabbing Cleo by the arm and squeezing it hard. "I'll do anything, I'll design you a whole new wardrobe and name it after you when I make it big-"

"After my things and Cleo's are stored below, I doubt there will be room for yours," Draculaura said sheepishly, her own trunks being wheeled aboard Deuce's boat by her father's valet. Averting her eyes from the blinding sun, the vegan vampire opened her laced pink and black parasol and twirled it with a flourish.

"Then switch with me, he's your boyfriend!" Clawdeen said desperately, unable to even think about the amount of stupidity she was going to have to put up with on the ride to the Islands.

"But you're his sister," Draculaura patted her hand sympathetically. "And he was adamant about you being in the same boat as him. The pack has to stick together."

"Why?" Clawdeen moaned, collapsing dramatically against Abbey's shoulder. A yellow taxi pulled up in front of their dock as more passengers for Deuce's boat arrived.

"Welcome aboard R.M.S. Gorgon, ladies!" Deuce announced with his arms spread open as Lagoona Blue, Operetta and Ghoulia Yelps spilled out of the taxi like a clown car, their luggage popping out after them.

"Well ain't that just the cutest little thing I've ever seen," Operetta said smoothly, eyeing the boat as she picked herself and her luggage up from the ground, including what looked like a guitar case. "I know a smidge about sailin' boats, Deuce. Daddy and I haunted riverboats when I was knee-high, so if ya'll need some assistance, I'd be oh too glad to help."

"I'm sure he knows what he's doing," Cleo said a bit more territorially than she intended to sound, and Operetta shrugged as she turned on her heel to store her things on board. "Let's get a move on, Ghoulia, I think Deuce is trying to cheat by getting a head start!" Cleo smiled slyly as Heath and Clawd roared in angry disapproval, the boys beginning to spew colorful words across the two docks at each other. Ghoulia moaned back, giving her a Look as she rolled her suitcase up to the boat.

"She's not encouraging them, mate, just havin' a little fun," Lagoona replied as she walked up beside them, chuckling. "Easy to poke fun when them boys act as competitive as sharks in a tank."

"Is this everyone then?" Cleo asked Deuce, the servants closing up the luggage compartments on the so-called R.M.S Gorgon.

"On our end," Deuce nodded, watching Clawdeen frantically texting on her iCoffin on the other dock. He smiled, "Maybe we should get a head start…"

"I was joking," Cleo swatted him on the arm as they heard Clawdeen let out an exasperated growl, "What is taking them so long?!"

"You let up that anchor, you're a dead man, Gorgon!" Clawd shouted to Deuce, "You hear me?!"

"Like I even need a head start!" Deuce yelled back, pounding his puffed chest. Cleo was beginning to understand Clawdeen's utter embarrassment just as a white minivan sped up in front of the second boat's dock. Clawd and Heath cheered on its arrival as a high-spirited voice cried from the backseat window, "This is so voltage!"

"You think everything's 'voltage', now hurry up!" Cleo called with an annoyed roll of her eyes, climbing aboard the first boat and seating herself at the helm beside Deuce.

"I texted you like ten times!" Clawdeen waved her phone in the air as Frankie Stein and Jackson Jekyll sprinted up the dock with their rolling trunks, the latter dumping his bag lazily inside the boat as he ran to join the other guys.

"Sorry!" Frankie called over whatever obnoxious sounds were coming out of the boys' mouths now. "I got so excited I accidentally fried my phone - again."

"Is just a boat, Frankie," Abbey said, helping her carry what looked like her shoe trunk on board.

"It's the Scaribbean Islands!" Frankie exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "'Teen Scream' says it is the hot spot for the summer and I'm actually getting to go there myself!"

"Okay okay, don't set the boat on fire," Clawdeen said, wary of Frankie's sparking bolts.

"That go for you too, flaming hair!" Abbey shouted up to Heath, who blew her a kiss from the helm.

"Cast off, Deuce!" Clawd shouted, "And we'll show you how it's really done!"

"C'mon, guys," Jackson said calmly, holding up his hands as if trying to make peace. Then he grinned, "They'll be plenty of time to brag after we win."

"Right on, cuz!" Heath fist bumped Jackson as Clawd steered the boat away from the dock once the anchor had been lifted.

"Hey Clawd!" Deuce shouted, spinning the helm on his boat with ease. "Looks like I am getting a head start!"

"Yeah, how's that?!"

"'Cause you're going the wrong way!" Abbey, Clawdeen and Frankie were flung across the boat as Clawd made a sudden sharp turn to follow Deuce. "Sorry!" he called.

"You're gonna be sorry!" Clawdeen yelled back, pushing her thick curly hair out of her face as Abbey and Frankie sighed. It was going to be a long journey.

"Don't sweat it, ghouls," Deuce called down to the boat deck where Cleo and the others were spread out. "Those dudes have no idea what they're in for."

"That's lovely, Operetta," Lagoona smiled as she and the other ghouls clapped politely, the phantom standing to bow with her guitar in hand. "What's it called?"

"Untitled as of now," Operetta replied, swinging the shoulder strap off from around her back and setting the guitar back in its case. "I got a bit of inspiration on deck here and just started strummin' to the beat of my heart. There's just somethin' about feelin' a boat rock beneath my feet that gets me thinkin' of my childhood down south."

"I can understand that," Lagoona said, reaching down over the side of the boat to run her hand along the salty water below, the wind sending a burst of sea spray in her face.

"Deuce, I think you can slow down a bit!" Cleo called up to the helm, the boat's speed apparent from the amount of spray rising up on deck. "Clawd's at least a quarter mile behind us now!"

"Oh no, don't stop," Lagoona breathed, closing her eyes in bliss as she lay back in her deck chair. It had been too long since she had been near the sea, what with her river monster boyfriend Gil's apprehension coupled with attending an inland school like Monster High. It felt awful to think about, but part of her was almost glad that a cross lake swimming competition had kept him from going with them to the Scaribbean. Now she could just enjoy the atmosphere without his complaints nagging her in the back of her mind. Not that she found dating him a chore, she loved him of course. It just became exhausting at times, what with his horridly prejudiced parents and all, and she needed a break.

"Oh Lagoona," sighed Draculaura happily as she knelt beside her deck chair, using her parasol to cover the sun. "I can only imagine what it must be like to live out here, watching the sea stretch to the horizon. It's so beautiful."

"Just sailin' on it makes me a bit homesick," Lagoona sat up to face her. "I might have to jump out and swim a few laps soon or I'll go bonkers." Looking past Draculaura's shoulder, she squinted a bit at the dark patches of sky several miles ahead of them. "Is...that the direction we're headin' in?"

"I think so," Draculaura said, turning to see where Lagoona was looking. "Why?"

"I don't like the look of those clouds," Lagoona shook her head slightly. Ghoulia moaned as she came up behind her, pointing slowly out to the same greyish clouds. "It is gettin' close to hurricane season," Lagoona agreed with the informative zombie who had been checking the weather moments ago on her laptop.

"Cleo!" Draculaura called to the sun-basking princess, "You might want to tell Deuce to steer clear of the east!"

"What?" Cleo asked, sitting up and lifting her sunglasses from her eyes. "But that's the direction the Islands are in. There's no going around it."

"But look!" She pointed out to the sea and Cleo spun around to see the small patch of looming clouds.

"I wouldn't worry too much," Deuce said coolly. "They look harmless and it's not a very big section of sky. The worst we'll get is downpoured on."

"It's possible," Lagoona said softly. But when it came to the ocean, the daughter of the sea monster had instincts. And her instincts were telling her that heading into that darker portion of the horizon was not the best idea.

"You're letting Deuce get ahead of us why?" Heath asked Clawd as the alpha wolf steered the boat so it was directly behind Deuce's. About a quarter mile behind, that is.

"Strategy, Heath," Jackson said, nodding his approval. "It's all in the strategy…"

"Yep," Clawd confirmed, "I make Deuce think he's winning so he'll slow up, then we pull up alongside him and wave before we sail on ahead to the Scaribbean." He rolled his eyes, "You really don't know anything about sailing, do you Heath?"

"Like you guys do?" Heath snorted in an attempt to cover up his, in fact, complete ignorance of boats.

"My folks take us out on a boat every summer," Clawd said, swinging the helm around one-handed as if it were no big deal, "My dad taught me everything I know."

"Ten summers at Camp Chippewa weren't lost on me," Jackson leaned back against the pole, folding his arms over his chest. "I even won a sailing race once. Pretty sure I can do it again."

"But-!"

"Face it, Burns," Clawd cut him off, his eyes focused on the sea and horizon line ahead. "The only reason you wanted in was so you could show off in front of Abbey."

"Okay, I won't deny that's part of it," Heath admitted, waving his hands for emphasis. He peered down over the railing of the helm platform and looked for where Abbey, Frankie and Clawdeen were hanging around together on deck. Abbey leaned against the side of the boat, her colorfully streaked hair blowing around her face and caught up in the sea spray, a silver short maxi dress hugging her curves. The other two were flanked on either side of her and all of them were grinning. "What do you think they're talking about down there?"

"Makeup?" Clawd suggested, "Clothes? Shoes? That awful new fantasy movie Draculaura dragged me to see last week?"

"Ugh, even the book it was based on was awful," Jackson began, then stopped as his face reddened. As Heath would say, his geek card was showing. Luckily, Heath wasn't paying attention. His eyes were still fixed on Abbey, unintentionally standing as if she were posing for a summer clothes catalog.

"Think they're talking about us?"

Clawd guffawed out loud, and Clawdeen turned her head sharply upward to face him. "You're awfully happy for someone who's losing your stupid race!" she called, pointing out to sea where Deuce's boat sailed on ahead of them.

"All in the strategy, sis!" Clawd called Jackson's words down to her, fisting his hand in premature triumph. "We got this!"

"You're gonna get it when we dock in the Islands," Clawdeen shot back through gritted teeth, slashing a clawed hand through the air in his direction.

"Yeah they're definitely not talking about you, Heath," Clawd said quickly, a bit intimidated by the thought of his sister's wrath. He grinned widely, his wolf chops showing. "Someday, when you're older, you'll learn that you don't have to try to impress the right ghoul." He finally took his eyes off the sea to look at Heath, "Abbey's the right ghoul. Just give it some time."

"Listen to Papa Wolf, Heath," Jackson voice quivered as he tried not to laugh, "He knows all."

"I have a very solid relationship with the ghoul of my dreams," Clawd leaned his head back, taking in the cool ocean breeze. "I think I kinda know what I'm talking about."

"You're one to laugh, Jekyll," Heath blurted out under his breath before covered his mouth in fake "did I say that out loud?" shock.

"What do you mean?" Jackson shifted around uncomfortably.

"C'mon." Clawd's knowing gaze shifted slowly over to the half normie. "You and Frankie?" As if on cue, her high tinkling laugh floated upward towards where they sat and the blush creeped back into Jackson's face.

"We're just-!" He trailed off as Heath's knowing look matched Clawd's, then sighed defeatedly. "Okay, it's called 'trial dating', I guess. I don't know, she read it in a magazine or something, but she wants to mostly be more like friends with, like, a little dating on the side."

"Wow," Heath snorted so hard smoke came out of his nostrils. "There's 'taking it slow' and then there's...you guys."

"Look, right now I'm just following her lead. Both of me is." Jackson glanced back down to where she stood, poised against the ship's side in a blue skirt and black and white scoop neck T-shirt, flipping her long hair away from her neck bolts. "I don't want me and Holt to screw this up again."

"Guys, hold up a sec," Clawd held up a hand, his face becoming suddenly serious. "You see that out there?" Heath and Jackson tore their eyes away from the ghouls and followed his gaze out to the horizon, where a dark patch of clouds had begun to form.

"Man, that doesn't look good…" Heath squeaked out. "But at least it doesn't look very big."

"From this perspective," Jackson said warily. "Get a little closer and it could be pretty nasty." And Deuce is sailing right into it, all three of their minds completed at the same time. Revving up the motor, they heard the ghouls gasp and yelp below as Clawd launched the boat forward determinedly.

"What are you doing up there?!" Frankie shouted to them in alarm, hanging onto the side of the boat.

"Calling a timeout!" Clawd shouted back, speeding to catch up with Deuce.

Deuce looked behind him at the sound of a boat motor growing louder and louder, his lips curling angrily. Those sneaky little cheaters, he thought as he waited for them to catch up so he could have a few words with them. A few words that might not make him look very gentlemanly to all these lady monsters on board.

"Clawd!" Draculaura called cheerfully, rushing to the side of the boat and waving as the boat helmed by her boyfriend, Heath and Jackson drew closer. "You finally caught up!"

"Deuce, we gotta get around those greyish clouds up ahead!" Clawd called to the helm leader of the boat beside his. At that point, Clawdeen, Abbey and Frankie had noticed the overcast sky as well and were glancing wide-eyed at each other.

"What, you guys afraid of a little rain?" Deuce laughed, palming the helm closer towards Clawd.

"Deuce, I think you're takin' this way too lightly!" Lagoona called as she climbed the stairs to the platform where he stood.

"Even I think this is a bad move," Heath added. "And this is me talking!"

"Good, he finally learning," Abbey said bluntly. The increase in the speed of the two boats brought them even closer to the clouded sky, where the wind picked up suddenly and the disturbed ocean beneath began to rock both of them threateningly.

"Deuce, get us out of here," Cleo stood facing the sky, her latte-colored face paling to an ashen hue.

"I'm trying-"

"Get us out of here now!" she shouted, her hands poised as if threatening to grab the helm from him by force. A wave splashed over the side of their boat dousing Ghoulia and Operetta completely, and Deuce knew he had underestimated the weather conditions horribly.

"Okay...okay look, I can see it clearing up ahead!" the gorgon called to the boys in the other boat, gesturing much further out to where the dark clouds broke up to reveal clear blue again. "It looks about maybe three miles ahead! We can ride this out, we only need to make it three miles!"

"I'm trusting you, dude!" Clawd pointed at Deuce in confidence, then looked back on their boat to where Draculaura stood watching him in concern, hanging onto the side for dear unlife. He put two fingers to his lips and sent a kiss her way, which she mimed catching in the air. "Let's do this."

"You girls need to get below," Jackson ordered, he and Heath wobbling their way down to the boat deck as the first rumble of thunder sounded over them, almost like a warning from Mother Nature herself.

"No!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"We're not leaving!"

"This is kinda serious in case you hadn't noticed!" Heath shouted over their protests, waving up at the sky above them.

"Then you are one who is needing to get below," Abbey poked him sternly in the chest, then grabbed his shoulders for support as the waves jolted them sharply. "I help Clawd steer. Will be needing strong muscles."

"Abbey!" Heath tried again, but she either didn't hear him or chose not to hear him as she took the steps three at a time to the helm platform. She and Clawd gasped and they heard Cleo scream from the other boat as forked lightning lit up the sky.

"Frankie," Jackson said almost warningly, watching her bicolored eyes brighten as the world around them grew darker.

"Jackson, it's lightning," Frankie emphasized as if he'd forgotten who he was talking to, brushing her hair aside as it whipped violently into her face and mouth.

"I don't care about the lightning, I care about the rain and the wind and even the slightest possibility of you getting tossed overboard," Jackson exhaled in one breath, searching her face for any change in her resolve.

"I'm helping," Frankie said in finality, pushing past him to get to the helm as he helplessly watched her go. When Frankie wore her "on a mission" face, you just didn't stop her.

"Deuce, you don't wanna try sailing against the storm," Lagoona advised her captain, "Just let the waves push you forward."

"It ain't foolproof, but it's a better option than puttin' up a fight," Operetta agreed, having reached the platform herself. "Let me help out." She glanced over at Cleo as if asking for permission, to which the princess nodded as if to say "it's all yours."

"Alright, here's the plan," Clawd called over the thunder growing more frequent by the minute. "Abbey, you're gonna help steer. Frankie, I need you up high to keep any lightning from striking the boat. Jackson and Clawdeen, you each grab a sail and keep us on course heading east. Heath...don't do anything dumb. Everyone got it?"

"Question!" Heath raised his hand as if he were in class. "What qualifies as 'dumb'?!" No one had time to come up with a sarcastic comeback as the waves rocked the boat dangerously to the left. Jackson and Clawdeen hung onto the sails with every ounce of strength they had, coughing and spluttering up the wave of saltwater that had splashed over the side. Frankie raised her arm to the sky as a bolt of lightning shot towards Deuce's boat, absorbing its potential damage before it struck.

"Thanks, honey bun!" Operetta called across the boats, waving in gratitude.

"Don't mention it!" Frankie beamed back, then gasped as she heard Clawdeen scream. Another bolt had streaked through the sky and met its target, the bow of their own boat, and only a few feet from where the female werewolf stood clutching her sail in one hand and the boat side in the other. "Clawd I'm doing my best, but I can't be in ten places at once!" Clawd said a colorful word under his breath that Frankie had only ever heard her dad use when an experiment went wrong.

"Clawd!" came the surprisingly faint cry of Draculaura, and Clawd whipped around to see that they were getting further away from Deuce and the others. "Abbey, get me back over there!" he ordered, the yeti girl grabbing hold of the helm as they both struggled to steer against the strong winds working to divide the two groups.

"Deuce, get me as close as you can!" Lagoona yelled over her shoulder as she ran to gather up a coil of spare rope she noticed on the floor of the platform. Grabbing one end, she began to knot it tightly to the metal railing on the boat side.

"And what exactly do you plan on doing?!" Cleo asked despite having already figured out the answer, which was not the one she wanted to hear.

"Gonna swim this rope over and tie them off so we don't get separated!" Lagoona explained. Ghoulia groaned loudly and shook her head, taking Lagoona's arm and hanging on tight. "I'll be okay, mate, I've swam in plenty of storms before. This is easily a 5 on a 10-pointer." Weak enough to not warrant wall-high waves, still strong enough to do some serious damage. And from what she and Ghoulia could make out, Clawd's boat was in a much worse position than theirs.

"Lagoona!" voices cried out from both sides as the saltwater monster dove gracefully into the raging waters below. Surfacing moments later, she paddled at marathon speed closer and closer to the opposite boat where Clawdeen and Jackson ran to meet her. Thunder rumbled through the sky as the heavens opened up at last, sending a torrent of rain whipping down on them all like sharp needles.

"Almost there, just a little closer!" Clawdeen called out, reaching as far as she could over the side to grab Lagoona's rope. Abbey had let go of the helm to help Frankie who had screamed once the rain started, causing her to spark out of control.

"Heath, grab that tarp over there!" Jackson called to his cousin, who obeyed and flew up the stairs to throw the plastic covering over Frankie.

"Deuce!" Lagoona cried out desperately from the water, still falling short of getting the rope into Clawdeen's hands.

"I can't get any closer!" Deuce called back in a cracked voice, Operetta adding "The wind's too strong!" as they both grunted and strained to steer the helm. Lagoona looked back at Clawdeen with panic in her eyes just before Clawdeen felt a pair of arms grab her around the waist and hoist her head first over the side of the boat.

"Jackson, what-?!" she cried out in surprise.

"I've got you, just get to Lagoona! She's our only way out of this!" Jackson shouted, using all of his upper body strength to keep from letting Clawdeen fall overboard.

"Here come waves!" Abbey roared ominously from above, and Clawdeen panted as she reached out towards Lagoona who had pulled the rope as far as she could…

What happened next could barely be described by an outsider, as several events occurred so closely and rapidly to each other that they were almost indiscernible. An outraged "What do you think you're doing?!" exploded from Clawd's mouth as he watched Jackson lift his sister, her head and torso completely hanging over the edge and she scrambled to get to Lagoona's rope. But he barely finished saying that as the waves Abbey had pointed out came hard and fast to claim their victims.

"No! Deuce, no!" Lagoona flung herself in vain towards the others as she felt herself being pulled back, ocean water and equally salty tears mingling across her face.

"We have to pull out!" Deuce cried out as Cleo clung to his back, her nails digging into his triceps as she buried her face in the back of his shirt. "We have to, Lagoona."

And at that moment, a single wall-high wave made its appearance. It was only one, but that was all it took. Jackson threw Clawdeen back onto the deck floor and she desperately clawed at the wooden boards, leaving long nail trails as she, Jackson and Heath felt themselves rolling and sliding across the floor, the waves having carried the boat what felt like several miles away. Deuce's boat was no longer anywhere to be seen. As the wave wall came up around them, Clawd threw himself back from the helm and flung his arms out to shield Abbey and Frankie, his eyes squeezed shut.

"No!" Cleo screamed despairingly, hanging onto Deuce as he shouted the names of those in the other group, slinging forward as if he were going to jump into the water himself. The rain was letting up where the winds had blown them, the clouds dispersed, the three-mile storm was reaching its end, and the Scaribbean Islands were now only mere hours away.

And after watching helplessly as a wave swallowed their companion boat whole, not a single one of them cared.

Identifying her surroundings was nearly impossible once all the seawater drained from her system and Frankie returned to consciousness. The grey light from the cloudy sky barely made her want to open her eyes, so she tried to figure it out through her other senses.

Sand, she thought as she dug her nails into the surface she was laying on, Wet sand. She had stopped sparking which meant she must be drying off in the warm humid air. As she lifted her eyelids, she saw her thick streaks of black and white hair soaked and plastered against her face, seaweed coiled tightly around her stitched mint green arms. This wasn't a dream. She wouldn't have felt this gross if it were a dream. Something was holding her in place from the waist down, making her unable to move, so she lifted her head and shoulders as high as she could and looked around.

One thing was for sure. This was not the Scaribbean Islands.