Shattered Scepters

DISCLAIMER:
The Clan names, discipline names and structure, titles and other such things are copyrighted to White Wolf Game Studio. Neither I, nor this story, are affiliated with White Wolf or any of their associates or subsidiaries, nor do I receive any monetary compensation from the publication of this narrative.

A/N: And in answer to your question (and you know who you are) Stephan is pronounced Stefan not Steven. – Thanks for asking!!

By the way I want to apologize for the delay in posting. My motherboard fried and then my new motherboard hates my systems guts (literally)…so we had to replace EVERYTHING (except the case) including the hard drive. Luckily I was able to recover my story, but it took me a little time. Thank you for your patience!

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CHAPTER 12: OUT OF THE FRYING PAN

Stephan was suddenly jerked forward as the large steel door was flung open without warning. He slammed his hands down onto the concrete floor from the sudden motion. The light pouring into the small dark room was blinding, Stephan didn’t dare look up, as his optic nerves had become accustomed to the dark.

“Stephan.”

“Yes, Mrs. Bruno.” He responded his head still lowered partially because the length of chain provided simply did not allow him to look up. But mostly because he knew the looking in the direction of the light would be a painful experience.

“Lady Peltier wants to see you.” Isabella said her voice calm and natural with only the slightest hint of curiosity.

“Lady Peltier?” He was unable to keep the confusion from his voice. This was unusual for a clan Primogen to wish an audience with a ghoul.

“Yes, the Ventrue Primogen.” Isabella answered, closing the distance between her and Stephan. “And she won’t even tell me why.” She crouched down in front of Stephan and whispered in his ear. “I am no loner mad at you, but never do anything like that again.”

“Of course, Mrs. Bruno, I understand.” He responded, resisting the urge to ask about Lolli.

“Get him cleaned up and brought to my office.”

“Yes Isabella.” John said, making his way into the tiny room and releasing Stephan from his shackles.

“Thank you for the food.” Stephan whispered under his breath as John helped him out of the small room.

“Thank you for not saying anything in from of Isabella.” John whispered back.

John gasped with pain as Stephan’s legs buckled. John tried to support Stephan’s total weight, but his maimed leg was not cooperating. Somehow John managed to get him into a nearby chair. Stephan continued to squint in the light, trying to force his eyes to adjust as John worked on closing the thick steel door.

“Raven is missing.” John started. “She’s been missing for 5 days. Missing the Primogen meeting, ignoring summons from the Prince…no one can find her.” He continued to report as he opened a drawer in the small ornate end table to the left of Stephan. “Not even her supporters know where she’s at.” John pulled Stephan’s personal items from the drawer, placing them in various pockets.

“It is not unlike her to disappear.” Stephan added, stretching his legs, his eyes still adjusting to the brightness.

“True, but every other Malkavian in area seems to have disappeared with her.”

“What?”

“Yeah, not a single Malk has been seen in 5 days, including your psychotic girlfriend.” John informed, once again helping Stephan to his feet.

Much of Stephan’s tension melted when he heard John’s words, it meant that Isabella did not destroy Lolli that night. “There must be an explanation.” Stephan surmised, as they slowly made their way down the long hallway.

“You didn’t correct me.” John noted after a moment.

“Excuse me?”

“Every other time I referred to her as you girlfriend you corrected me. ‘She is not my girlfriend. She is an assignment’.” John clarified, doing a fairly good impersonation of Stephan.

“She is just an assignment.” Stephan said.

“Sure she is.” John mocked.

“What else has happened?” Stephan asked, choosing not to press the subject of his relationship with a Malkavian. As the pair hobbled towards a spare bedroom, John filled Stephan in on the Kindred activities.


Lady Peltier made herself quite comfortable in Isabella’s office. Her satin brown eyes surveyed the lavish office with an approving gleam; Vincent Bruno always did have exquisite taste. Her creamy satin blouse, with the barest hint of gold complimented her ivory skin beautifully giving it an almost living glow. Her top was the accent to her earthy brown jacket with thin gold pin stripes and matching brown skirt. She sat patiently, her perfectly manicured fingers resting quietly on the desk top.

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” Isabella asked.

“The missing Malkavians.” Peltier answered, her smooth brown eyes briefly glancing at Isabella as she leaned against the wall near the door.

“And?”

“And Stephan is going to find them.”

“You can’t use my ghoul for something like that.”

“I can and will.” Peltier responded.

“What if the thing that was hunting the Nos has taken the Malks?” Isabella asked, moving away from the wall and towards her desk.

“Then he will be able to report that, won’t he?” Isabella was never one of Peltier favorites and right now it was evident in her voice.

“You cannot use my most prized ghoul as bait.” Isabella said in a dangerous tone.

“Watch your tone.” Peltier warned. “There is no one else to use. Your pet all ready has connections with the Malkavians...as much as it sickens me to admit it.”

“He’s not my pet.” Isabella corrected in a tone she thought was polite; however Peltier’s glare told her otherwise.

A polite knock ended any further discussion.

“Enter!” Isabella snapped.

Quietly the door swung open and both John and Stephan entered the room. Both men could feel the tension in the air.

“You don’t need to be here.” Peltier said, pointing to John. “Leave.”

“Stay.” Isabella responded, locking eyes with Peltier. “As my second to Stephan, I feel you need to know what is going on.” Isabella stated, her sudden political suaveness impressing both John and Stephan. Peltier sighed, but opted not to argue the point.

“You.” She was now addressing Stephan. “Tell me what you know about the Malkavians.”

“Are you speaking generally, or specifically, milady?” Stephan asked.

“Specifically.”

Stephan dared a glance at Isabella who nodded her approval. He reported every detail that he had shared with Isabella to Lady Peliter. He told her specifically what he had learned about the Malkavians in Vegas, but almost nothing about Lollipop. He outlined their political structure, as he understood it, the location of their feeding grounds and provided an estimated population.

“And what of the one calling herself Lollipop?”

“I have heard her use a variety of aliases, all ending with o-l-l-y. She does not like her Primogen, but has not indicated an interest in assuming the role. She also does not like the location of their feeding grounds and feels that Raven was tricked into selecting that particular area. She maintains her own herd and has on occasion assisted her fellow clansmen in feeding, locating the feeding grounds and finding havens.

She has traveled to Las Vegas via Dallas, and then Phoenix, but I do not know where she was prior to that. Her Sire’s name is…” he paused to recall the name from his memory “Ezekiel Jeremiah Nicodemus Morgan III. He still exists, but I have not learned his location. She has a cousin who is Toreador and a twin sister who is Malkavian. She has claimed her age to be 30, but I do not know if that the age she was Embraced at or the number of years she has been kindred. I have theorized that is her actual age, placing the year of her birth in either the late 60’s or early 70’s.”

“How did you find that out?”

“I have seen a picture of her as a child and the photograph appears to have been taken in the early to mid 70’s.”

“How is it you know her age, but not her generation?”

“I would imagine that she is a weaker generation, based solely upon her young age; however, I have been witness to things that only stronger generation are capable of. When I question her she claims not to remember.”

“Do you have a way of contacting her?”

“Yes I do, milady.”

“Excellent. Do it this instance, try to arrange a meeting. We need to know what is going on with the Malkavians.”

“No.” Isabella interrupted. “You cannot use my ghoul as bait.”

“We have been over this.” Peltier began, as though she were trying to soothe an upset child.

“As per your orders I have ended Stephan’s relationship with that lunatic and he has been punished for his ‘transgression’.” She stormed towards the desk, placing herself between Stephan and Peltier “And now you are setting us up.”

“The Prince has requested that I, as a member of the Primogen Council, am to find out what has happened to Raven. The most efficient way for me to do that is through him.” She casually gestured at Stephan. “Are you going to explain to the Prince why I cannot use him to find Raven?” Peltier gracefully rose to her feet and circled around the desk. Slowly she closed in on Stephan, as a predator would close in its desired prey. As always Stephan stood his ground as she took each step with a deliberate and dangerous intention.

“Call the bitch.” Isabella snapped, quickly turning away from Peltier in disgust.

Without another word Stephan pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Lolli’s cell phone. He waited patiently as one unanswered ring lead to another and eventually her voice mail. Peltier slowly circled him, her eyes casually taking him in, as though she were evaluating his worth.

“Lollipop, this is Stephan. Please call me as soon as you get this message.” He said, and then ended the call.

“If she calls, arrange a meeting and find out what has happened to the Malkavians and report back to me. Understand?” She ordered. Having completed her circle she now stood before him, and he was very careful to avoid eye contact her.

“I understand completely, milady.”

“Do you?” She question. “Do not mistake this as consent for you to have a relationship with her.” She warned. “Obtain the information I need and nothing more. What happened with Amata could happen again. Are we clear?”

“Yes milady. Crystal Clear.”

“Perfect.”

“I’ve heard that name before. Amata was one of father’s ghouls, wasn’t she?” Isabella asked.

“Yes, she was. She and Stephan were lovers, much to your sire’s wishes to the contrary.”

“What happened to her?” Isabella pressed.

Peltier casually waved her hand, inviting Stephan to answer the question.

“Mr. Bruno ordered that I execute her, and I did.” His voice detached as if this was something that had happened to someone else.

“You’re both dismissed. Isabella, there is one more thing I would like to discuss with you.”

Both John and Stephan bowed and left the room.

“I didn’t know you two were lovers, but then again it was before my time. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention her name before.” John said, once they were out of ear shot from Isabella’s office.

“And now you know why.” Stephan said coldly, quickening his pace. John quickly reached out and grabbed Stephan arm, just above the elbow.

“You know something; you’re not well liked among the others.” John snapped. “They are jealous that you’re her favorite. And that little disappearing stunt you pulled didn’t make things any better. Isabella was talking about terminating our leases and pulling us back to the manor, taking away all of the freedoms we enjoy. The others were furious with you. I am the closest thing to a friend you have right now.

“You and I are the only two people in nearly 300 years to have survived Vincent Bruno and that makes us unique. We’re two of a kind and I thought that gave us some camaraderie….you know what…fuck it. I’m done watching your back. You’re on your own.” John snapped. He quickened his pace as much as he could, his anger evident and even understandable. Stephan did have to admit that of all the ghouls he worked with, he did prefer John. And John was right; there was a certain bond between them, because of Vincent Bruno.

“I had only been a ghoul for two years.” Stephan began. John stopped and turned to face Stephan. No one had ever heard him speak of his past before.

“Mr. Bruno wanted to blackmail a banker to get inside information about the bank’s activities. But we could not get anything on him. The man did not drink or womanize; he was a workaholic, who did not have much time for leisure. Mr. Bruno sent me to seduce the banker’s lonely wife, which I did.

Apparently I did my job too well, when she received the blackmail letter a few days later she killed herself. In one evening I had managed to destroy two months of planning. He was furious with me, he threw me about as if I were a rag doll and had every intention of beating me to death. That is when she…” He had to pause, taking a breath before continuing. “She crawled over broken glass to use her body as my shield. She then convinced him to spare me. She is the only person I have ever known who could talk Mr. Bruno out of a rage.”

“She sounds amazing.”

“She was. Beautiful, eloquent, intelligent, cunning…” Stephan momentarily and uncharacteristically allowed his mind to trail off. “It was shortly afterwards that we became lovers. Mr. Bruno found out and ordered that we cease our relationship. I wanted to obey…I knew his rage. But Amata….she was certain we could hide it. And we did for almost a year, but when he found out he had us both dragged to his dungeon. He forced me to watch as he...” Stephan had to pause again, these were the agonizing parts. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I was forced to witness the nightly atrocities he performed on her. He never once harmed me, but I was to bear witness. After almost a month I was given the choice of executing her myself, or share her fate for a week. I could not stand to see her suffer anymore. She smiled and said she loved me as I put a single bullet into her head.”

John didn’t bother to apologize; he knew that the words would be pointless for Stephan. “How did Lady Peltier know?” John asked after a moment of silence.

“She gave Mr. Bruno the idea for our punishment.”

“Holy shit. How did he find out?”

“We were betrayed by a fellow ghoul who also desired Amata.”

“What became the traitor?”

“Twenty years to the day after her death, he was in a car accident and died.” Stephan answered. Secretly he harbored a forbidden joy at this death. It was rather clever of him to switch the new brake pads with worn ones.

“Did you have anything to do with that?” John asked, finding his answer in Stephan’s silence. John smiled “I never want to be on your bad side.”

Stephan raised an amused eyebrow and was about to speak when his cell phone rang.

“Hello Lolli…Yes I am fine. I would like to see you tonight.” There was a pause as the lunatic rambled before setting up a time a place. “I will meet you there.” He said. Stephan then turned to John and excused himself stating “Duty calls.” as he slipped his cell phone back into his pocket.

A bewildered John blink for a moment before calling out “Did…did you just make a joke?”

~~*~~**~~*~~**~~*~~

Stephan had just enough time before his meeting with Lolli to stop by a department store to replace her bed sheets and nightshirt he had destroyed two weeks ago. He pulled into the reserved parking space and climbed from the car. With shopping bag in hand Stephan made his way towards his apartment and was pleasantly surprised to see Lolli waiting at his door step. Her dark red hair fashioned into twin buns on either side of her head, a subtle change from the pigtails and her hand crammed into the pockets of her pink leather jacket. Her faded jeans fit her snugly accenting her slender hips as she shifted her weight side to side, looking at if she were trying to stay warm.

“Stephan!” She exclaimed her face lightening up as he approached. Unable to restrain her joy she threw her arms about his neck and squeezed. Stephan smiled briefly; it felt good to know that he was missed.

“Where have you been? Are you OK?” Lolli asked, almost in one breath.

“I am fine; I will explain everything once we are out of the cold.”

Stephan opened the door and had set down the bag as Lolli made herself comfortable in his kitchen. He watched as she rummaged through this refrigerator and cabinets, producing the ingredients for a Rum and Coke.

“Here.” She cheerfully said, offering him the beverage before putting everything back where she found them. He eyed the drink suspiciously.

“You always have one when I’m over.” She explained.

“I always need one when you are over.” He corrected.

“Same thing.” Lolli playfully protested with a shrug, and then gracefully sat down on his couch. “How did things go with reggie?”

“It was nothing I could not handle.” He responded, sipping the rum and Coke. He thanked her for the drink as he sat next to her on the couch, placing his drink on the coffee table.

“I’ve seen the scars of what you can handle.” She said her voice devoid of humor.

“I was forbidden to leave the manor.” He clarified.

“You were….grounded?” she asked.

“I prefer the term ‘House Arrest’…‘grounded’ sounds rather juvenile.”

“I know you didn’t have your phone, but did you have access to a computer? Or TV? Radio?”

“No, on all accounts.”

“You were grounded.” She giggled.

Stephan shook his head, choosing not to press the subject. He glanced over at Lolli in time to see her bedroom eyes. He quickly rose from the couch, using the excuse of the items he purchased.

“To replace the ones I inadvertently destroyed.” He added, handing her the bag. She squealed excitedly when she saw the picture of Jack and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on the black and purple striped nightshirt.

“Thank you Stephan!” she squealed, then looked at the sheets. She quickly rose from the couch and rushed over to tenderly kissing his cheek.

Stephan cleared his throat, “I am pleased you like them.” He casually moved away from her to collect his drink.

“I have heard rumors that I am hoping you can lay to rest.”

“Really?” she asked, suddenly suspicious of him. She joined him on the couch, but gave him his space. “What rumors?”

“That you and your clan had left Vegas.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“Excuse me?” he asked, nearly chocking on his drink.

“When you heard that I had left town, how did that make you feel?” she repeated, casually leaning back. She was studying him, trying to analyze him as a psychiatrist would a patient. He was silent, unsure how to answer. She waited patiently, her face expressionless.

“I feared that Isabella had killed you.”

“Stephan, what really happened to you during those 15 days?”

“I was forbidden to leave the manor.” He repeated. Lolli crawled over to him, invading his personal space and forcing him to keep her gaze.

“I can smell your wounds.” She whispered. “You smell of dried blood.”

Stephan held her gaze, his mind warning him against the course of action he was planning. Finally he did stand up and remove his suit jacket to roll up his sleeves revealing his bruised and scabbed wrists. Lolli gasped softly at the dark purple band circling his wrists. He then revealed the bruise encircling his neck. “I was forbidden to leave the manor.” His words now took on new meaning. She covered her mouth, her eyes betraying the horror she felt.

“I’m so sorry. Stephan…I….”

“Lolli, for what you gave me, I have no regrets.”

“Then why so distant tonight?”

“My Primogen and Regnant do not want me to continue our relationship.”

“But what do you want?” Lolli asked, standing up slowly closing the distance between them.

“I want to obey my Regnant.” He said, buttoning his shirt.

“Is that really what you want?”

“Yes.” He lied.

“I want to do whatever you desire. Tell me what you want me to do and I will do it.” She said using a low seductive tone.

“My Primogen and Regnant…” he muttered while backing away from her “…they do not want….” He backed into a wall, trapping himself.

“What do you want, Stephan.” Lolli continued. “I will do anything you want…anything you wish, but you have to tell me.” She wasn’t touching him, but she was close enough that he could smell the sweet scent of the honey and brown sugar body scrub. He closed his eyes, his will was failing him.

“If you want me to leave I will. If you tell me to never contact you again I will.” She continued. No, he didn’t want her to leave. For the first time in decades he felt appreciated and respected. She made him feel human…alive. His mind reminded him of Amata and her tragic death.

“If you want me to stay I will. Tell me. Tell me what you desire.” She pleaded.

He wanted to send her away, but when he opened his mouth to tell her to leave his lips did not heed his brain’s warning. “You.” He said, grabbing her and kissing her passionately. “I want you.” He confessed, moving away from the wall and into her. She quietly moaned his name as his lips reacquainted themselves with her neck. Lolli began pulling at his clothes while whispering his name and asking him for more. As his body remembered the feel of hers and longed for her pleasure; his mind recalled other more unpleasant time.

“No!” he exclaimed, suddenly pushing her away.

“What? What’s wrong?” she asked, confused by his sudden change in mood.

“We can not do this.” He said, keeping her at arms length.

“We can, have, did and will.” She protested.

“No, Lolli, I can’t. Please…you don’t know what they’ll do. What they are capable of. Please, don’t put me in that position.”

“Stephan you’re using contractions.” She pointed out with a smile.

“This is serious!” he loudly protested. “I can’t go through that again!”

“Again?” Pain evident in her eyes as crimson tears began to well up in her green eyes. “What was so terrible about last time?”

“Nothing, our last time was incredible! It was amazing and you have no idea what it meant to me. But I…I can’t…I can’t make that choice again. Not again, please.” He muttered, turning away from her.

“Talk to me Stephan. If you don’t tell me what’s wrong, I can’t fix it.” She soothed, cupping his face, making him look at her. With a heavy sigh he quickly retold his tragic tale of loosing Amata.

**That’s what broke you!** was Lolli’s silent epiphany. Suddenly his demeanor and emotionless attitude all made sense.

He gripped her upper arms tightly as he spoke, “What is this power you have over me?!” he demanded, shaking her as he spoke. She shrugged and blinked innocently at him when she sweetly suggested lust.

“Lust?” he scoffed. “Lust does not make me want to defy my masters! Lust does not make me place myself in such dangerous situations to be with you! Lust does not make me think of you every free moment I have! Lust does not make me sick with worry, wondering if you’re safe.” He loudly argued.

“What power does any woman have over a man that would make him act so recklessly and cause him such worry?” she countered, looking at him with her soul searching eyes. Stephan released her arms, but did not answer her question. He backed away from her, afraid of the revelation she had subtly pointed out. He picked up his beverage as he wondered if she could be correct.

“The Ventrue sent you to me didn’t they? They want to know what’s going on with Raven.”

“How long have you known?” He asked, after downing half of his rum and coke.

“Since I got your message.”

“The Prince has requested that Lady Peltier locate your Primogen and the fate of your clan.”

“I have no reason to help your Primogen locate her puppet.”

Stephan looked at her, unable to keep the shock from his face.

“Why would I help the woman who convinced my Primogen to vote for things that are not in my clan’s best interests? Let her fail in locating Raven, I don’t care what happens to her.”

“Lady Peltier would not look kindly upon my failure.” Stephan explained.

“Well then…” Lolli began unable to keep the smirk from her face “I guess you’ll just have to find a way to ‘pump’ that information from me…won’t you?” she switched on her bedroom eyes and closed the distance. “You may need to ask many ‘penetrating’ questions.”

“It would seem as if you have left me with no choice.” Stephan said returning her grin.

“I didn’t think you knew how to smile.” She whispered as he scooped her up into his arms.

“I am learning a great many things from you.” He said.

“You know the floor is closer.” She suggested.

“True, but the bed is more comfortable.”

“You win.” she purred, as he carried her back into the bedroom.

~~*~~**~~*~~**~~*~~

“Will Peltier be missed?” one shadow asked, peering through night-vision binoculars at the Bruno Estate. His grey eyes keeping a careful vigil on the front door as he spoke softly.

“She’s is a member of the Primogen council, and close to the Prince. What do you think?” a female shadow growled quietly.

“Well, the Brujah don’t like her and neither do the Gangrel, it could be blamed on them.”

“But currently there is no tension among the Clans. At least nothing that would warrant the kidnapping of a Primogen, and potentially start a clan war.”

“Pity. She’s such a bitch.” He said, offering the binoculars to his partner.

“Finally something we agree on.” The second shadowy figure said, taking the binoculars and peering at the large house. She scanned the windows until she found the Isabella’s office. “Looks like Bruno and Peltier are in a heated conversation.”

“I wonder what it’s about.” He casually commented, moving back into the shadows and quietly assembling his high power rifle.

“It’s probably over Stephan Villos.” She suggested, watching the Kindred argue and storm about the lavish office. “Apparently he’s a ‘highly prized commodity’ and Peltier feels that Bruno is destroying his ‘value’.”

“I didn’t know you could read lips.” He said, laying back beside her and using the scope of the rifle to watch activity happening outside the manor.

“I can’t. I read the dossier we were given.”

“I guess that’s why you’re team lead on this little project, huh? That and your fancy words for ‘file’.”

“Damn straight.” She muttered, still watching the two. “Wow, it looks as if this might get physical. Bruno’s temper is legendary…both hers and her father’s.”

“You mean sire?” he asked.

“In this case they are one and the same.”

“I’ve got a man with a limp, walking with a cane or crutch.”

“John Michaelson, he’s a real finical wizard…extremely good with numbers. He’s considered to be almost as valuable as Stephan.”

“I hate how they treat humans as property…bought, sold, abused and discarded at a mere whim.” He growled, watching John disappear around the side of the house.

“Again, something we have in common.” She commented.

“You think we can get John to sign up for the Retirement Plan?” he asked.

“According to the doss- file we were given, he was one of Vincent Bruno’s ghouls. He like Stephan would be so conditioned against betraying their master that it would not be worth the energy. Their knowledge of us could put all of us at risk.”

“Do you know how he got the limp?” he asked out of idle curiosity.

“Vincent Bruno punished him for watching Isabella ‘inappropriately’. Are you familiar with medieval torture techniques?”

“No.”

“Vincent Bruno was. He preformed what’s known as a half boot. He placed one of John’s legs and the severed leg of a cadaver into a metal boot shaped devise. Wedges are then hammered between the knees forcing the legs apart and into the metal frame. Eventually the bone breaks or shatters under the strain. Without proper, and modern, reconstructive surgery the victim is crippled.” She answered.

“Holy fuck!” he whispered.

“Given that a half boot was done for just looking at someone, imagine what would have been done for betrayal.”

“Shit.”

“That is what Stephan and John have had looming over their heads for at least 30 years. Do you still think we should attempt to recruit them?”

“Yes, I do. But I can understand why it would be risky. What’s going on now?”

“Still arguing. What about on your end?”

“I’m seeing a car circle back around. Someone is getting ready to leave.”

“What type of car?”

“A silver limo.”

“That would be Peltier’s. The argument is winding down, seems like she’s leaving soon.”

“Should we strike when Peltier leaves?”

“No, Isabella will still be surrounded by her ghouls. We will wait until just after dawn. All of Bruno’s ghouls have residence away from the manor. We will need to enter just as the sun is rising and the ghouls are leaving. Isabella’s room underground, near her heard, the entire area locks up tighter than Fort Knox. It’s like a panic room.”

“So how do we get in if we wait the four hours until dawn?”

“We have the pass code.”

“How the hell did we get that?” he asked with a chuckle.

“We have an insider.” She answered with a smile.

~~*~~**~~*~~**~~*~~

“Stephan.” She whimpered her voice pleading and desperate as she squirmed and writhed. Stephan’s grip on her hips tightened as he buried himself a little deeper within her, pulling even more delightful sounds from her. He released her hips and gingerly ran his fingers up the length of her spine then around to her shoulders. He held her shoulders as her lowered his lips to the nape of her neck. She gasped and called his name again as she pushed back, forcing him to sit back on his heels. There was a moment of awkwardness as he repositioned his legs in front of him. Slowly she began to rise and fall, calling his name with each downward thrust. Quietly he repeated “chiedere me” with each thrust as hands again gripped her hips. Her cries passion and moans of pleasure grew louder as she neared her climax. On her last down thrust her orgasm hit. Her muscles tightened and Stephan wrapped his arms about her, his finger teasing her nipples. Her body shuddered as her climax ended, Stephan turned her to face them then laid her on her back.

She screamed out his name as he entered her again. “No marks.” he said upon feeling her nails beginning to dig into her back. She whimpered pathetically then clenched her hands into tiny fists and held him close, whispering dirty, erotic things into his ear. “Tesorino.” He moaned, watching her fangs slide down. He locked his lips with hers as he slid in and out, devouring her cries of ecstasy. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, eager to meet his. His pace quickened as she wrapped her leg about him. His mouth continuing to capture and dine upon her sounds of pleasure. Her hips began writhing beneath his in a complimentary counter rhythm, when he moved faster so did she. His name became her mantra as she neared her peak, as he rode her as hard as his desire pushed him. Lolli planted her feet and pushed up into him, crying out his name in the process and pulling him over the edge with her.

“You are amazing.” She panted, wrapping her arms about him, keeping him close. Her cheeks were flush with color and she was grinning from ear to ear.

“As are you.” He complimented, kissing her again. His cell phone range before he could say anything else.

“Do you have to?” she asked with a pout, watching him search the floor for his phone.

“Only one person has this number. So yes, I must answer it.” He answered, finding his phone beneath her lavender bra.

“Yes, ma’am.” He said, leaning back against the headboard, watching his lover crawl towards him with a devious gleam in her eyes.

“Where are you?” Isabella asked in an irate tone of voice, her argument with Lady Peltier still fresh in her mind.

“I am with the Malkavian.” He responded, watching the naked lunatic curl up beside him and lazily running her finger up and down his thigh.

“Did you get the information she wanted?”

“Yes, ma’am I did.”

“I was expecting you to call over an hour ago.”

“The Malkavian has become distrustful of me since my disappearance.” He answered, quickly grabbing Lolli’s wrist as her finger tenderly made their way to his groin. “It took some negotiations to acquire the information.”

“So you fucked her. Meet with Peltier at her restaurant immediately. Give the Maitre D my father’s name, you will be seated and Peltier will join you when it’s convenient for her. Feel free to order dinner as I imagine you have worked up an appetite.” She added with disgust before slamming down the receiver.

“She sounds pissed.” Lolli commented, planning a kiss on Stephan’s neck.

“Lady Peltier does not approve of my association with you, and has pressured Isabella to ‘pull me home’ I believe is the phrase. Then tonight she pulls rank and uses me as bait to find you and your clan.”

She straddled his waist and looked at him with sincere eyes. “I hate how they treat you like an object.”

“I know and I am planning on speaking with Isabella about releasing me to my mortal life.” He cupped her face.

“You look tense.” She suddenly commented in a brighter tone. He raised an amused eyebrow and looked at her.

“What?” she innocently asked.

“I am a Ventrue ghoul current Regnant has a skill for getting into trouble, a Primogen who is trying to get me killed and a Malkavian who has taken me as her lover…Of course I look tense.”

“Need another stress relief?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes.” He answered with a smile but stopped her from kissing him. “But I must meet my Primogen to pass on the information you have given me about your clan.”

She sighed and pouted as she climbed off him. She giggled when watching him gather his rumpled clothes and placing them in the hamper. “Stephan….may I stay here the day?” she asked, her eyes holding an uncertain look.

“If you would like.” He responded, collecting a fresh suit from his closet.

A brilliant grin lit up her face. “I would like that very much.”

He kissed her several times on the lips before disappearing into the bathroom to change. “I can help!” she called out after him.

“If you help I will miss my meeting.” He responded, closing the door.

“Yeah, you would miss you meeting.” Lolli said to herself as her phone beeped, informing her about an inbound text. The Malkavian’s giggling eyes turned cold as she read the message. Apparently Isabella Bruno may have a job for her.