Deadlier Than The Male - Excerpt Exclusive to Steemit - Collusion and Chaos

The heavy door to the office banged open without ceremony and Claudia entered the room, striding her way across the floor, arrogance and aggression apparent in her gait and mannerisms.

“If my father doesn’t need this situation explaining to him, then I do. Why don’t you indulge us both?” She snarled at Darius, leaning over his desk.

“And why should I do that, you poisonous harpy?” He leaned back in his chair, his disdain apparent.

“Oh Darius my love, flattery will get you nowhere. If you don’t tell me all of it, then I shall be forced – for the sake of my poor, dear father – to tell what I do know to my Lycaeon.”

“What is it that you think you know?” He regarded her with the same regard and care as he had her father.

“I’m not laying all of my cards on the table Darius. I know as much as my weak and extremely foolish father has told me – either on purpose or otherwise. He is not only reliant on you to supply his addictions. He is much worse than you imagine. For example, he had to have a complete transfusion this morning, just to be as compos mentis as he was with you. Even then, I knew that I would not be able to rely on him and I was forced to listen at your door – very carefully.” She sat in front of Darius, ignoring her father who had finished the drink and was slipping, if not into unconsciousness, then at least into his own version of reality. His head slowly dropped down onto his chest and he looked to be falling asleep. She looked over to him and sighed her derision.

“What do you want?” Darius asked.

“I want my father’s share in your schemes.”

“And what of your father’s welfare?”

“I shall take care of him through his current – illness.”

“Yes, I am sure you would. You are a putrid, manipulative snake, Claudia. What makes you think that I would even consider making you my partner over your father?”

“Because, Darius, we have so many other things in common. I hate Hazel for murdering my son.” She stood and walked around to his side of the desk and sat on the edge, a little too close for comfort for Darius. “I want the Lycaeon gone so that my father can inherit in her stead and finally, but most important, I would see Wolfkind in their true position in life, that of Supreme Being – rulers over the Hume cattle.”

“With you being next in line after your father’s untimely demise, no doubt?”

“And yet, I see a place for you in all of my schemes, that of Consort, beside me.” Her voice was as soft as velvet now, her attitude had altered and she leaned forward, towards Darius with the same intimacy as a lover would.

At the insinuation, Darius raised his eyebrow.

“You seem to have thought this out well.” He said, but he also added in his own head: ‘but I refuse to be drawn in at your pace – if at all.’

“Good, I shall give you time to think it all over then Darius, but I shall expect an answer soon. I want to know exactly what is being planned for your developing army. How many whelp soldiers we have at our command and how many more you intend to recruit. And I give you this warning, Darius. Don’t even think of double-crossing me. I would turn you in faster than I would turn in my father and believe me; I look after my interests first – even where family is concerned. My son is gone; I have no other blood ties that matter to me.”

“I don’t doubt it, Claudia. I shall give your offer some thought and have a dossier drawn up for you.”

She touched his elbow and smiled as he flinched. “Not quite healed yet? I heard that you had come off worst against her. She is such a bitch, but she knows what she’s doing, take care, Darius.” She blew him a kiss as she turned to leave, helping her father along with the patience of a draconian nurse in the presence of a malingerer.

Darius watched the woman close the door as he thought about her offer. He had never realised that she found him attractive. He had never been attracted to her. Her features were a little too sharp, her figure too androgynous for his taste and by god was she spoiled and domineering.

He preferred his women a lot more feminine and supplicant, one that preferred to be taken care of – or told what to do.

Although, there has always been one that had captured his interest and held it. From the very beginning he had desired her. It was unfortunate that she had been seen and claimed by another first.

What was it about Hazel that made him want her, even though he knew that she did not want him? Maybe that in itself was enough?

Darius knew that he had to have complete clarity now. Phillipe was taking himself out of the equation at such a rapid rate that he was in free-fall. He was even now, too much of a liability. His addiction had been manageable at first, but now that Claudia had her ladle in the soup too, it had spiralled way out of control. She was ruining everything. Still, it had always been his plan to cut Phillipe loose once he had out-lived his usefulness and it seemed that now there were two choices – to continue with Phillipe but with Claudia pulling his strings or to cut him loose a little earlier than anticipated. He doubted that Claudia would bend to his will as Phillipe had done, so cutting loose looked like the only sensible option, but for now, he could wait. He had a short time left and he also had plenty to do in the meantime.

Claudia thought herself so clever, but she could only plan around Phillipe’s knowledge – and Phillipe didn’t know half of what was in store.

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