Claude's Conquest (Maura's Men Book 2) Read online

  Claude’s Conquest

  Stella Williams

  Copyright © 2013 Nisha Franco

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  ISBN: 1494433370

  ISBN-13: 978-1494433376

  Cover Art by Brian Lacey

  DEDICATION

  I dedicate this book to all my readers past, present, and future.

  RoseVille, Texas 1891

  Claude smiled to himself as he exited the dark corner he’d been occupying with the beautiful young Miss -- he’d forgotten her name already. Not that he could remember it anyway. The only thing interesting about her had been her ample bosom and lack of virtue. Claude lingered in the shadows only as long as he dared, before rejoining the crowd in the ballroom.

  He pasted on a neutral smirk and ran a quick hand through his sandy blond hair. He wasn’t excited about returning to the droll, antiquated affair his mother put on every year. Some of the people in attendance still put on airs of being titled. He would much prefer spending his time with more worthwhile pursuits; like coming up with new ways to expand his family’s oil business. Claude might cultivate the reputation of a rake, but he was no idiot. His appetite for beautiful young women was only sustained by his family’s continued wealth and standing in the community.

  With his love of athletics his physique was lean and muscled, he stood out against the soft, bookish types filling the room. It was a gift and a curse as far as he was concerned. While his build gave him a slight advantage in business dealings, it also made him a prime target for the husband seekers. For Claude, variety was the spice of life, and he had no intentions of settling down with anyone. It was only for the sake of his mother’s health that he hadn’t made his life plans known to anyone, but a few close friends.

  His friends were not where he had left them. They had probably left early as most of them had the same mindset as he did when it came to these events. A group of women huddled by the dance floor. Instead of the expected giggling and batting of eyelashes, they were focused on something that obviously was not to their liking. Their painted faces pinched in disgust.

  Claude spotted his friend James amongst the group of men surrounding a beautiful, but bordering on matronly, woman on the other side of the ballroom. She had every man’s full attention as she spoke with them. He made a beeline for his friend. He wanted to talk to James about his latest business ideas and as a bonus save his friend from this obvious trap.

  This woman had never been to any of his mother’s parties before. Her escort had been an odd fellow as well. Not very talkative, and he’d abandoned her for one of Claude’s previous conquests as soon as the party had gotten underway. The woman was most likely some poor widow or old maid looking for a rich benefactor or worse, a husband.

  “Claude! I was wondering if you had left the party for good,” James said clasping his arm and pulling Claude into the group of men.

  “No, just needed a little air.”

  The woman looked at Claude expectantly, her hand held out to him. He gave her a half smile and a curt nod. If she thought he was going to kiss her gloved hand, she was going to be disappointed.

  “Sorry for my friend’s rudeness, Lady Maura. Let me introduce Claude Morgan, son of our lovely hostess, Mrs. Lillian Morgan.”

  The woman smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. He was being uncharacteristically rude, but he was in no mood for games. He’d satisfied his hunger for the night and was ready to talk business. His mother would be appalled by his behavior, but he would deal with that later.

  Claude turned his attention back to his friend. He grabbed James by the arm and dragged him away from the group. He could feel the spurned woman glaring fiery daggers at his back, but he felt certain her scorn would not last. The night was almost over, and he was sure that the men left standing in her little court would gladly entertain her.

  “You didn’t have to embarrass her like that,” James exclaimed, as always the perfect gentlemen.

  “She’s just passing through, it’s unlikely I will ever see her again. Anyway, I wanted to discuss with you the latest gossip. There are rumors of a merger between our competitors.”

  “Can’t I enjoy one party without the mundane conversation of business?” James smiled, shaking his head at Claude.

  “It’s hardly mundane. If the rumors are true, it could have a serious impact on the position of our company.”

  “The company or your ability to disregard women as you like? Don’t think you were sneaky enough to go unnoticed, slipping away with Ursula Davenport. Your mother was brokering your marriage as soon as you stepped foot out of the ballroom with her.”

  “What? Her reputation is almost as bad as mine. There is no way my mother would force me to marry a loose woman. She is a lady of good standing and would only accept a daughter-in-law with the same.”

  James shook his head.

  “Don’t say you weren’t warned. I’ve always told you your behavior would come back to haunt you one day. At least you know your wife won’t be a total bore in the sack.” James patted Claude on the back before leaving him to stew alone.

  Alexander made sure his presence was kept hidden in the shadows. Other than Maura’s orders, his long hair and warrior’s build didn’t allow him to mingle. He wasn’t exactly the party type, but Maura demanded he come as added security. From the open balcony, Alexander made brief eye contact with Felix, who was wooing a young woman on the dance floor, letting him know he was still there, watching.

  Tonight, watching was Alexander’s only job, although he refused to be grateful to Maura for the slight reprieve. Alexander didn’t know how Felix could do it, but he was glad he did. Watching as Felix led a beautiful young woman into a secluded corner, Alexander fought with his conscience. He might not be the one luring the women into Maura’s lethal clutches, but he surely wasn’t doing anything to stop it either.

  The girl was safe for a few more hours at least. Felix would convince the girl to “elope” with him. He’d come to her home later and she would run away with him into the spider’s web. By morning, they would all be off to the next town; the girl’s body buried where it wouldn’t be found for years.

  A familiar twinge of guilt tugged at Alexander.

  My dear Rachel, I am sorry.

  Ever since Rachel, he hadn’t been very good at that particular task. He had seen her face in every girl he had attempted to lure. His guilt had eaten him alive and so more often than not, the women had managed to escape before he could get them to Maura. He could have easily stopped them, but that was too much for Alexander to bear. Maura had been furious at first but had eventually shown him a bit of mercy.

  He had hoped that meant that Maura would kill him and end his suffering. It was only the worst luck that Maura had other uses for him in and out of her bedchamber. She’d killed him once before, if only she had left him that way. Maura had coveted his strength. Felix was better with women from the beginning, but he didn’t suit Maura’s more basic urges. He was too weak to handle her barbaric idea of lovemaking. That job now fell to Alexander almost exclusively. If only there were a way to end it all.

  He forced his gaze away from Felix and his prey. Instead, he skimmed the crowd for Maura. The harpy was holding court with a group of young men eager to court her attention. Maura was in her element, soaking in their adulation, but Alexander noticed her eyes kept shifting off t
o another part of the room. He followed her gaze, finally landing on the object of her fascination.

  The man was tall and athletically built. He was not a warrior, but he didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the dandies that were floating around the room. His eyes seemed to catch Maura looking in his direction. The man smirked before crossing the room towards the double doors that led to the gardens, leaving his companion looking exasperated. Alexander had a bad feeling that tonight was going to be more challenging than he had expected. His suspicions were confirmed a few moments later when he saw Maura follow the man out.

  Claude was furious both with his friend and himself. He doubted he would be able to return to the party tonight. His mood was so black even the air in the garden seemed off. He had always prided himself on being one step ahead of the husband-hungry women and their mothers. Now that he looked back on the earlier events, he should have seen that it had all been too easy. It had been a trap, and he had walked right into it.

  “How dare you,” a female voice said from behind Claude.

  It wasn’t one he recognized, but he turned anyway. He wasn’t accustomed to open admonishment by anyone other than his own mother. He smirked as he saw the old maid from earlier. Her face twisted with rage that added even more age to her features. He wondered exactly how old she truly was. The soft lighting of the ballroom had given her skin a youthful glow, but out in the gardens, with only the light of the moon casting shadows on every wrinkle, he saw the true horror she was.

  “I’m not in the mood to deal with the hurt feelings of an angry old maid. Why don’t you return to your desperate suitors in a light more forgiving to someone of your advanced years?” Claude said before turning back down the path he had come.

  Claude heard an inhuman growl before he was grabbed tightly from behind. His whole body went on the defense as he came face to face with pure evil. He stared down into soulless black eyes as the woman held him off the ground by his neck. As if she sensed his fear, the creature smiled revealing a pair of long sharp canines that had Claude ready to piss his pants.

  “You will learn that I am not a woman to disrespect,” she ground out before sinking her teeth into the crook of his neck.

  Alexander cursed silently as he took in the carnage at Maura’s feet. The man’s neck looked nearly severed from the torso. He paused a moment to make sure no one was around as he picked up the body. Alexander was good at being stealthy, but from the way blood was seeping into his clothes he knew he would have to back-track in order to cover up the trail of blood. Maura’s blood was already beginning to mend the gaping neck wound.

  Another man had fallen prey to Maura. Alexander wasn’t surprised that Maura had escaped sullying her clothes with her latest carnage. He knew she had years of practice and maybe even some mystical help. The only trace of her evil was a small ring of blood around her mouth. The sight of her in her element, enjoying the rush she undoubtedly felt from a fresh kill was sickening, but Alexander knew better than to show any signs of disgust. That had been this man’s downfall after all.

  “Take Claude back to the estate,” Maura ordered after licking her mouth clean. She stalked off back towards the party.

  As much as Alexander hated the MacDonald Estate, it was better than staying with Maura. Even if only for a day, Alexander would relish the solitude without her overbearing presence. The only problem was the long journey back to Scotland. He would have to use that time to train Maura’s new pet.

  Alexander headed away from the lights of the party. He would leave the carriage for Maura and use his inhuman speed to avoid detection. Maura’s blood was powerful. It was only a matter of minutes before the limp body in his arms began to change. He hoped to get to the house they were staying in before the man came back to life.

  “Welcome to hell,” Alexander greeted Claude when he came to.

  “What happened and who are you?” The man’s voice was raspy and weak.

  “Alexander. You pissed off the wrong she-devil. You are now the property of Maura.”

  The man tried to sit up, but fell back against the bed.

  “Maura? You mean the crazy old hag that cornered me in the garden?”

  “I wouldn’t say that to her face, but yes, the one and only.”

  “What the hell did she do to me? Crazy old bat had to poison me somehow.” He reached a hand up to his neck and grimaced with pain. He paled further at the sight of blood on his fingers.

  “You’re right. It was poison. With her demon venom, she poisoned your soul. You are no longer of the living. I’d explain more, but there will be plenty of time on our voyage,” Alexander said tossing Claude clean clothing.

  They weren’t as nice as his party clothes and would probably be too loose. Seeing as the ones he was currently wearing were now covered in blood, the man had no choice, but to change.

  “What voyage?”

  “I’ll explain everything I know, but for now change out of those clothes.”

  “Well, are you just going to stand there and watch?” Claude glared at him.

  Alexander glared back before leaving him alone to change. The last thing Alexander wanted was to babysit a new vampire. It wasn’t like he had a choice however. If anyone was going to show him the ropes, it was better that Alexander did it than Felix. No matter how charming Felix acted, it was his lack of empathy and conscience that bothered Alexander to no end. At least this way, Alexander might have an ally in the den of snakes he had found himself.

  Alexander had his work cut out for him. Even now he knew the newcomer was forming a plan as he pretended to accept everything. Alexander had been the same in the beginning, but the man who had trained him had been a lot rougher than he planned to be.

  Being a new vampire, Claude was defenseless against Alexander’s superior senses. Heightened hearing allowed him to hear the light rustling of the hay stuffed mattress as the man moved around, then the slight creak of the loose floorboard by the open window. It was those senses and Alexander’s own experience that allowed him to know exactly what Claude was doing.

  Just as Claude was about to make his move, Alexander quickly shoved the door open, startling Claude from his perch in the window. His grip slipped, and he almost toppled out of the open window, but Alexander was too quick. Claude was grabbed from mid-fall and deposited back in the dreary room where he was being held.

  “Nice try, but just so you have no further misunderstanding of your situation, you can’t go back to your old life. It would mean the death of everyone you hold dear. I am faster and smarter than you will ever be. You need my help if you are going to survive the hell that is in store for you.”

  Claude seemed to realize the dire situation he was in, but instead of cowering and showing fear, he plastered on an arrogant smile. Maybe training him wouldn’t be so rough after all. While his arrogance was what got him killed in the first place, it would also be his only salvation in dealing with Maura.

  Drawn

  Gretchen “Liz” Jones leaned forward in her seat as the photo of a stone fortress came up on the massive projection screen at the front of the class. “And now for our guest lecturer, Dr. Felix Aiken.” Professor Magnus motioned to a man who had been standing off to the side. Gretchen hadn’t noticed him before Magnus had gestured towards him. He was tall and surprisingly young for his age. He’d been researching the MacDonald Estate for nearly fifteen years and yet he barely looked a day over 25.

  “Who’s the hottie?” Hailey stopped chatting with Gina finally to pay attention to something other than her latest shopping adventure.

  Dr. Aiken began his speech and Hailey lost interest almost immediately. She wasn’t the academic type and to be honest neither was Gretchen, but something about him had her undivided attention. It was Dr. Aiken who had introduced her to the wonder that was MacDonald Estate. She was mesmerized by the photos he scrolled through of large stone structures, a fairytale garden, and the creepiest looking wood line she had ever seen. Gretchen took notes on everyt
hing while her friends mocked the lecture asking stupid questions like “Where did Ronald store his wigs?” and “Was Hamburglar a welcome guest or did he just break in during parties?”

  “Can you guys shut up! I’m actually trying to hear what he says,” Gretchen snapped at Gina and Hailey.

  Both girls looked at her like she had just grown a pig head.

  “You know being a bitch is never a good look,” Hailey said before continuing her obnoxious conversation with Gina.

  Any other time Gretchen probably would have joined in on the fun, but she had just received a major wake-up call the night before. Her two best friends had yet to ask about her mysterious disappearance during the frat party. If anything, they were upset with her for taking off with Justin Finch. Justin had always been an aggressive flirt, but she had never taken him seriously. That night he had force-fed her drinks, laced innuendo into every sentence of their conversation and when she’d been drunk out of her mind dragged her into a private room for some alone time.

  Gretchen didn’t want to think about what would have happened if one of Justin’s frat brothers hadn’t stumbled in. That, however, had only fueled the rumor mill. By the next morning, Justin was “the man” for getting into her pants, and Liz was a whore for sleeping with her best friend’s man. Gretchen had thought about trying to defend her reputation, but he was Justin Finch. The quintessential charmer, every girl on campus wanted to be with him. No one would believe that he had tried to force himself on her when he had his choice of willing females.

  To avoid the chaos in her brain she focused all her attention on the guest lecture. Of course, she noticed how Dr. Aiken glossed over the stories about missing young women and a mysterious head of household that never seemed to age, but she couldn’t really blame him. He probably wasn’t much for unsubstantiated gossip. Something Gretchen was suddenly tired of as well. Almost as if she were drawn to him, she hung back after the lecture to speak with him.