As the old saying goes, the gra.s.s is always greener on the other side of the fence. That was never more true than on Lancaster Street. Samantha Phillips was jealous of Lindsay Baker"s freedom. Lindsay Baker envied Erica Ross"s lifestyle-the cars, the clothes, the vacations. And Erica Ross begrudged Samantha"s job as full-time mother.
But they all envied Mich.e.l.le Stewart. Because everyone knew a vampire-who perhaps was a little too undead to be fairy-tale Prince Charming material-was still a better catch than a hotheaded dragon, a runaround fae, or a demon with an att.i.tude.
WHAT"S YOURS IS MINE.
JESS HAINES.
CHAPTER 1.
Fashion fades, only style remains the same.
-Coco Chanel.
"That is a darling color! Very flattering with your skin tone."
Ca.s.sandra, who had been busily staring into s.p.a.ce while her nails were being painted, blinked and turned her attention to the woman in the chair next to her. A "city b.i.t.c.h," Vera would have called her. The woman"s hair was chemically blond and straight, her tan spray-on, and her face painted with colors that gleamed and glittered like the jewelry on her wrists and throat.
Ca.s.sandra couldn"t help but smile. "Thank you. I like that shirt. Gucci?"
"Close. Dolce," the woman admitted, flexing her toes in a way that had the lady working on her pedicure scowling. She fluttered her already painted fingernails in greeting. Rhinestones flashed. "I"m Tiffany. Tiffany Winters."
"Ca.s.sandra Sachs. Nice to meet you."
The intricate dance of Who Has More Money had only just begun. Ca.s.sandra surrept.i.tiously eyed the purse at the foot of the woman"s cushy chair; she couldn"t see the brand name, but the Prada sungla.s.ses hanging off a strap were a clue.
Tiffany smiled, revealing blindingly white teeth. "Say, I"m new to town. I just moved into the Still Waters community." Another hint, this one as subtle as a solid gold brick to the face. Still Waters was one of the most exclusive-and expensive-gated communities in town. "I don"t suppose you know of any places closer than Manhattan that have some real nightlife, do you?"
"Oh, absolutely!" Ca.s.sandra ignored Ling"s gasp when she shifted to ensure the huge rock on her finger caught the light, figuring her nail stylist would fix the smeared polish without a fuss. Ling made a small sound in her throat that might have been a curse, but she was paid too much money to scold one of her best customers. "As a matter of fact, we"re neighbors. I live in Still Waters, too. A few of us get together and go to the Smoke & Whiskey downtown for drinks a couple nights a week. You"re welcome to join us."
The two women chatted for a while, their despairing nail technicians doing their best to ensure no more polish was smeared as the ladies moved just so to ensure their skin, jewelry, and clothing was displayed to best advantage, preferably with brand names visible at all times. Ca.s.sandra finally felt she had the upper hand when Tiffany"s blue eyes (contacts, she was sure) widened perceptibly at the sight of the pink diamond on her ring finger. It caught the light as no imitation would, practically crackling with sparkles.
Tiffany did as any woman would when confronted by such an eye-catching stone. She cooed over the diamond, clearly l.u.s.ting after one of her own.
"My goodness, you must have found yourself quite a catch to get a rock like that!"
Ca.s.sandra"s lips curled, practically purring with pleasure. "Oh, he is, no doubt of that. Gabriel"s great-great-grandfather was a partner in the original Kimberley diamond mine excursion. He could have lived on the trust his father set up, but he opened his own architectural firm instead."
Tiffany"s eyes widened, suitably impressed. Ca.s.sandra, for her part, was not about to let an opportunity to pry slip by.
"What about you? What does your husband do?"
"Oh," Tiffany said, airy tones dripping with indifference, "I"m not married. Not anymore, as far as I"m concerned. My husband dealt in security and built custom firearms. We had our differences and separated last year. The divorce is nearly finalized, and I"m not in any rush to replace him. The alimony and sales of my artwork keep me comfortable."
Ca.s.sandra clicked her tongue, making sympathetic sounds, eyes bright as she studied Tiffany more closely. "That"s a shame things didn"t work out."
"We didn"t have any kids and we discovered late in the relationship that we both wanted different things out of life. The separation was amiable, and the divorce was relatively painless. Truthfully, it"s better this way for both of us."
"Well, I"m glad you"ve got such a bright outlook on things. You really should meet the other ladies. I think a girls night out would be just the thing. Meet us at the Smoke & Whiskey tonight at ten. I"ll introduce you to everyone."
Tiffany"s plush lips curved in a wicked smile as she leaned back in her salon chair, closing her eyes.
"I can"t wait."
"Oh, you"ll like this one," Ca.s.sandra said, stirring her martini with a thin crystal swizzle stick. "New to town, no kids, no husband, and positively desperate to fit in."
"Desperation should suit our needs quite nicely," Vera replied before she sipped her lemon drop, crossing her slender legs primly at her ankles. "When"s the last time we took in new blood? If we don"t work to expand our ranks as much as we have our fortunes, we"ll never have the kind of influence over the Were communities that Gabriel keeps going on about. If he wants to be the next Rohrik Donovan, he needs to work for it."
"Oh please," Alexis scoffed, waggling fingers wrapped in jewels in airy dismissal. "Our husbands would have done something about it already if they knew how. Their little yacht club meetings and golfing excursions are just excuses to avoid facing facts-that scouting their usual haunts isn"t going to get us any new wolves. It just goes to show that, as always, it"s the women behind the men in power who really make history."
Heather shifted uncomfortably, twining her fingers in her long auburn hair as her attention shifted back and forth between the other ladies. She opened her mouth to add her thoughts to the conversation, but Ca.s.sandra smoothly overrode her.
"Be that as it may, if we are going to take over recruitment for the pack, we might as well start somewhere. I think this woman could be a good fit. She already lives in the community and she"s newly divorced-which means she"ll be lonely and looking for a man soon enough."
Heather opened her mouth again, but this time Vera cut her off. "I"m not convinced that volunteering Charles or Lucas as a fit for this woman we haven"t met is such a good idea. Make her one of the pack? Sure. Hand her over to the available men? Not unless she"s breeding pups before she"s turned. Which doesn"t solve our numbers problem for the short term."
Alexis smirked, drawing her straw across her tongue in a playful, flirtatious bid to draw the attention of one of the men at the bar before adding her thoughts. "Divorcees are generally bitter, lonely people. Not the mothering sort, if she doesn"t have rugrats already, I"m sure. She can choose someone else; perhaps one of the hopefuls that Gabriel keeps going on about inviting to those dull brunches of his... ."
Ca.s.sandra gave Alexis a withering look, which went ignored. Her smile was cold enough to make Vera and Heather drop their eyes submissively, knowing better than to tease her about her husband-or his parties.
"Thank you, Alexis. I"ll be sure to tell him you think so," Ca.s.sandra said, her tone flat enough that Alexis finally realized she was in error.
"I"m sorry, Ca.s.sie, you know I didn"t mean anything by it."
Alexis had turned her eyes down, but her tone told the lie. Ca.s.sandra leaned forward, her ample cleavage spilling from her low-cut top, drawing the eyes of several men at the tables around them as she settled her hand on the gla.s.s tabletop next to Alexis"s drink. One nail had formed into a talon, etching a fine line of warning into the gla.s.s between them.
Alexis audibly gulped and lowered her head contritely, a faint sound like a whine dying in her throat. Ca.s.sandra stared at her across the table, the others keeping their eyes down as she tapped her fingers impatiently. Finally, she spoke, her words cold and biting.
"If you don"t like how the pack is run, you may rise to the challenge to change it. Otherwise, I suggest you remember who is in charge before your mouth gets you into trouble."
Alexis nodded once, sharply, ducking her head further. Ca.s.sandra laughed and leaned forward enough to brush her finger along Alexis"s arm, making her flinch. "Silly pup, look what you"ve made me do! I"ve just had my nails done, too."
The others exclaimed over the now cracked veneer of polish on her finger, clucking their tongues over the damage. Before long, Ca.s.sandra rose, putting the full force of her chilly smile on Alexis again.
"Let"s go meet the new girl, shall we?"
CHAPTER 2.
The body is meant to be seen, not all covered up.
-Marilyn Monroe The beautiful people of New Jersey often convened on the Gold Coast or fled to Manhattan when they wanted to see and be seen. For those who wanted to do so in the relative privacy of a community too expensive for the locals and too subdued for the tourists, the residents of Saddle River often looked no further than their own backyards to the elegantly overpriced charms of the Smoke & Whiskey.
The nightclub was in good form when Ca.s.sandra arrived. She was fashionably late and prepared with a newly restored manicure as she glided down from the heights of her Navigator and pa.s.sed the keys for her SUV to the valet.
She sauntered up the solar lightlined walkway to the entrance where a host held the door for her. She promptly paused to bask in the recessed spotlights and let the crowd inside take in the view of her in all her chic splendor. As was to be expected, a low murmur of appreciation started up amidst the candle-lit interior as the tall, Amazonian brunette in killer Ferragamo pumps and a sleek Valentino dress surveyed her domain, finding it wanting.
Particularly when Tiffany appeared behind her, settling into an equally statuesque pose in her Manolo strappy stilettos-making her just a smidge taller-as she came to a glittering rest in her vintage Versace beside Ca.s.sandra.
"Lovely evening for a night out," Tiffany purred. "I had no idea there was nightlife this close to home."
Said nightlife was composed of a number of men and women at low, intimate tables talking over drinks while candles sparked and sputtered in dark alcoves, and the gentle strains of soft jazz came from an easily forgettable band on the stage across the room. Smoke drifted from dry ice placed in hidden recesses and gave the place its namesake, admirably reproducing the atmosphere of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The club tried hard to pull off the air of "upper cla.s.s dive," but failed miserably thanks to the glint of crystal and glow of real teakwood from the bar and tables.
Ca.s.sandra eyed the bangles clinking on Tiffany"s wrist as the blonde airily brushed her hair back, revealing equally jangly earrings. Tres out of style, but Ca.s.sandra delighted in not telling her that.
"Quite. If it gets too dull, we can always go to Manhattan," Ca.s.sandra said, gesturing to the table where Vera, Heather, and Alexis had already settled, nursing drinks that glowed in the subdued light of the club. "Ah, there we are. Let"s go have a seat, shall we? You can meet the other ladies of Still Waters."
Tiffany confidently took the lead; the other girls" expressions ranged from wary to impressed at Ca.s.sandra"s restraint for allowing her to go first. Tiffany didn"t appear to notice the others" discomfort as she swept around the table to shake hands as she was introduced. For her part, the alpha b.i.t.c.h was amused, finding this potential new blood to be the sort of headstrong woman necessary to build the Diamondfangs into a pack that might someday overcome the Moonwalkers.
"... and so," Tiffany finished explaining her circ.u.mstances on moving to town as she shook Vera"s hand, meeting the woman"s eyes as her grip tightened uncomfortably. "I"ve only been in town for a couple weeks, but I think I"ll be settled in before long. The divorce is nearly final. I do have to say, while I"m pleased to find myself in such company, I can"t stay long tonight. We can meet again soon. I"m sure we"ll all be fast friends."
Vera showed her teeth in the semblance of a smile, her eyes briefly taking on a glimmer of something unnatural as she held on to Tiffany"s hand long past when she should have let her go.
"Is that right? You look familiar. Are you sure you"ve only been in town for two weeks?"
Tiffany gave Vera a tight smile of her own, but said nothing, pulling her hand back hard enough that it was obviously an effort. Ca.s.sandra made a faint hissing noise between her teeth, and Vera gradually relented, looking away. Alexis sipped her drink, her expression turned wary and calculating as she watched the exchange, while Heather"s attention was focused on the band across the room.
"Quite sure," Tiffany replied. "I haven"t been to New Jersey since, oh, before I was married. I used to travel extensively, so perhaps you saw me in the airport on my way to South Africa or Versailles."
"South Africa?" One perfectly sculpted brow arched as Alexis regarded Tiffany over the rim of her drink, a sardonic twist to her cherry lips. "I can"t imagine what you"d be doing there. The place has nothing to offer but backward politics and savages, if you ask me."
Tiffany"s smile turned murderous. "Visiting family, actually. My mother is from Johannesburg. Also, I often visit to acquire more tribal artwork and supplies for my gallery. Many people admire the richness and beauty of the culture."
Alexis reddened and muttered something apologetic into her drink. Ca.s.sandra watched all of this with the avid gaze of a cat who has spotted a wounded bird fluttering within reach of its paws.
Heather dove to the rescue, her voice sweet and sincere as she sidled her chair a bit closer to Tiffany. "Don"t listen to that nonsense, she"s just being her usual catty, b.i.t.c.hy self. We are glad to have you here!"
Tiffany"s narrowed blue eyes slid from Vera to rest on Heather, her expression lightening considerably. "Thank you. What a doll you are!"
"Do you want to come shopping with me tomorrow? I heard there"s a new store with vintage Louis Vuitton that just opened up in Manhattan." Heather"s wide brown eyes were completely guileless, and the others couldn"t restrain their eye rolls as she squealed in excitement at Tiffany"s nod. "Excellent! Give me your address, I"ll pick you up at noon."
Tiffany did, smiling wolfishly as she slid a business card across the table. "I"m looking forward to it."
Vera watched Tiffany leave with narrowed, distrustful eyes. The woman positively sauntered off, clearly pleased at how Alexis and Heather had warmed to her.
"I think we have a winner, ladies," Ca.s.sandra said as she ran her fingertip along the edge of her gla.s.s, making the crystal sing.
Heather nodded enthusiastically, while Alexis reddened. "I shouldn"t have said-"
"Hush," Ca.s.sandra scolded. "I don"t think you scared her off. Besides, she"s taken to Heather, and I"m sure she can salvage any hurt feelings and bring the girl around to seeing things our way."
"I don"t like her," Vera stated flatly. "I don"t think she"s what she seems."
"Neither are we," Heather replied.
The women quieted briefly, sipping at their drinks. Heather frowned, glancing back and forth between the others. Seeing as no one was talking, she broke the silence with a few chipper words.
"I think she"s great. I can"t wait to get to know her better. If she became part of the pack, we could set her up with one of the single wolves. Who hasn"t been mated yet? Oh, I bet she"d be a great match for Travis or Damon-"
"Will you stop that prattling?"
Heather regarded Vera with a hurt expression.
"I"ve seen her somewhere before," Vera muttered. "I"m not sure where, but I know I have. Something about her is dangerous. We need to know more about her before we take her into the pack."
Ca.s.sandra was not amused. "If you can provide proof of whatever it is that has you worried, I"ll take it into consideration. Until then, we go forward as planned. Heather will gather more information tomorrow and question her about her feelings on Others. Yes?"
Heather nodded, smiling brightly.
"There, you see? We"ll get to know her better and take it from there. I doubt she"ll be willing to sign a contract within a single day, anyway. We have time."
Vera still wasn"t convinced, but said nothing.
"Even if she poses a threat now, she won"t be one for long. I"ll make sure of it."
CHAPTER 3.
I"ve been getting some bad publicity, but you got to expect that.
-Elvis Presley Tiffany toyed with the curtains while she held her cell phone to her ear, staring out over the wide expanse of her backyard to the ring of trees that surrounded her property. After a few rings, a gruff voice harrumphed in her ear.
"Didn"t think I"d be hearing from you this soon. Run out of money already? Alimony isn"t due yet."
"Don"t be an a.s.s, Richard," she said, turning away from the window. "I want you to tell me what you know about Ca.s.sandra Sachs and the women she surrounds herself with-Heather, Alexis, and especially Vera."
He paused. Coughed. "Don"t tell me you"re trying to hunt on your own? Look, I know you didn"t like our methods-"
"I didn"t call for a lecture. Tell me what you know."