SNAP: New Talent Read Online Free

as they took on the trappings of the uber-wealthy of the 20 th century.
    The Baron and his family traveled the world, and in style.  They had planes, limos, yachts, lovely women and power.  Politicians, movie stars, sports stars, just plain rich celebrities, courted them.  No one turned down an invitation to a party, especially one at the Baron’s castle.
    During the Kandesky’s rise, Matthais watched. What good was eternal life if every day was just like the one before, and would be just the same the day after?
    When Felix’ decaying body was found along a path in the Neutrality, and Matthais took the reins of the family, the feud that had simmered for centuries burst into flame.  Matthais accused Kandeskys of murdering Felix to gain control of the Neutrality.  Stefan and Felix had carved out the Neutrality on the border between their territories years before.  Patrolled by Huszar werewolves and Kandesky demons, the area buffered the violence and became the place where the families could come together in relative peace...at least they wouldn’t be killed while there.
    With a new head of the Huszar family, the ancient pact seemed doomed.  Matthais sent teams of werewolves and shapeshifters into the Neutrality, setting traps for anyone who came through.  And when a Kandesky was caught, he was dragged in front of Matthais who was willing to ransom him back to the Kandeskys.
    I knew this had been the state of the relationship between the families, but it changed when I came into the picture.
    Baron Stefan Kandesky hired me to take over the print side of the SNAP empire, the weekly celebrity magazine with editions in English, German, French, Portuguese and Spanish.  My job was to bolster circulation while researching and developing new markets.  And those new markets were where?  In the former Eastern Bloc and Soviet middle Europe.  The area that the Huszars thought of as theirs.
    So now the Kandeskys were poaching on Huszar territories, and doing it in a way that would make them even more money.  Matthais was livid.
    And because I was the agent that would make all this happen for the Kandeskys, I was the bulls-eye for Matthais’ rage.
    With that, I came down the stairs to have dinner with emissaries from the Huszars.   Why should I be upset?

Chapter Six
    There were eight of us for dinner.  Penelope, the Baron’s partner, and I were the only women.  And I was the only regular.  While I ate trout from the river, a rack of lamb and profiteroles for dessert, they had a dark-red consommé, steak tartare without the egg and blood pudding.  I was getting used to mealtime and I knew the household staff, regulars all, were eating the same menu I ate, so I’d gotten over my guilt for making the cooks work so hard at fixing different food.
    Alessandr was as I remembered him, polite with late 19 th century Viennese manners.  He took my hand to his lips and said quietly, “Mlle. Maxie, it is a pleasure, as always, to see you.  May I introduce my colleague, Markov.”
    I wasn’t sure the rough edges would ever get rubbed off of My-colleague-Markov.  Because it was the Baron’s dining room, I extended my hand and found it crushed in what I could only call a paw.
    Markov was shorter than I and built like a gym rat on steroids.  He was dark, with black eyes and black hair extending to the backs of his hands and fingers.  His neck was as wide as his head, his shoulders made his dark suit look painted on and his arms were so muscled they angled out from his body.
    “I’m happy to meet you,” finally came out of my mouth as I tried not to snatch my hand back.
    “I’ve heard much about you,” Markov rumbled from somewhere in his chest.  “I can see that Alessandr didn’t exaggerate your beauty.”
    I began to wonder if the young Huszars had brought in a ringer, one of their werewolves, to case the castle and assess the Kandesky power, but Jean-Louis took my arm again and led me to a seat while chattering on