Shattered Scepters

DISCLAIMER:
I own nothing. 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.


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CHAPTER 20: BRUNO CAME HOME WITH A VENGEANCE


Stephan wakes up slowly, and sluggishly something he isn’t entirely use to. His body still aching from his encounter with Sydney the previous night as he slowly sits up. His back is still stiff and sore; but his ribs no longer protested him breathing. His wrist held only a faint bruise from Sydney’s kick and he has an evil case of cotton-mouth…damn Lortab. Gingerly his fingers touch the bandage on his neck. The bite is a dull ache, and most likely almost completely healed. The deep cuts on his chest is still sharp and only sends stabbing pains when he moves his left arm.

Slowly he eases himself to a sitting position and looks about the room. Lolli is still asleep in the other bed, the blankets pulled up to her chin. The clock on the nightstand between the beds reveals it to be 2:00 in the afternoon. He finds Jeremiah sitting in a chair at the foot of Lolli’s bed. His feet propped up on the dresser, and his hat pulled down low over his eyes. Resting casually on his lap is his shotgun, barrel aimed at the door. He looks like a sleeping sheriff from an old Western movie.

Silently Stephan gets out of bed and makes his way towards the dresser, more specifically to the handguns sitting out in plain sight.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Jeremiah says his voice clear, without any indication of sleep, his posture did not seem to change, but Stephan finds himself on the business end of the shotgun.

“Take the paper bag.” Jeremiah orders. “It’s got some first aid and shower stuff for you. There’s also a clean shirt for you. You might wanna get cleaned up.” Jeremiah still sits with his feet up and head lowered, but the gun is now aimed towards the door instead of Stephan.

“You do not like me, do you?” Stephan asks.

“I don’t know you well enough to have that kind of opinion. But you’re Ventrue, and that’s reason enough to not trust you.”

“I may not be Ventrue for long.” Stephan comments, glancing over at the sleeping form in the other bed.

Jeremiah lifts his head and raises his hat to look at Stephan. “And you think you can be Malkavian? Just like that?”

“I know I want to stay with Lolli.”

“I think you had your chance to be Malkavian.” Jeremiah says, referring to Isabella’s disappearance.

“By staying Ventrue it keeps her safe, until my ties can be severed.”

“Then why become Malkavain at all?”

“My reasons are personal and none of your concern.”

“Wrong, bucko! They are very much my concern! This is my clan, and I won’t have some Ventrue yahoo poking around playing shadow games.” Jeremiah is now on his feet.

“I am not afraid of you.” Stephan says, holding his ground.

“You should be boy. I’m the one who makes problems disappear and right now…you’re a problem.” Jeremiah proves his point by aiming his shotgun directly at Stephan’s chest.

“How am I a problem?” Stephan calmly asks his eyes lock with Jeremiah’s.

“You’re a Ventrue spy. Do you know what we do to your type?”

“I am no spy. Lolli has known from the first night of my Regnant’s intentions, and I have never lied to her or kept any secrets from her.

“That so?”

Stephan walks towards Jeremiah until the barrel is flush against his chest. “Yes, that is so.”

“She know you told your Regnant the location of her Haven?”

“Yes, she has known for months.” Stephan answers without hesitation “How did you know?” he questions.

“It’s my job to know. So tell me, boy, why shouldn’t I kill you right now? Give me one reason.”

“I love her.”

There is a tense silence between the two men before Jeremiah finally speaks “You really do, don’t ya?” Jeremiah asks, seeing truth dance in Stephan’s aura.

“Yes.”

“God help you both.” Jeremiah says, finally lowering the weapon. “You best get cleaned up. You got a meeting tonight.”

“How do you…?”

Jeremiah tosses Stephan his cell phone stating “Some guy named John has been calling and texting you somethin’ fierce. Seems urgent.”

“You read my texts?”

“Just doin’ my job, son.”

..~~~**~~~..

“Where have you…” John stops at the sight of Stephan’s battered appearance. “Holy Hell, Stephan what happened to you?”

“I was attacked.”

“Your neck!”

“It is almost healed, and was not that severe of an injury.”

“Are you sure? You look really pale.”

“Yes, I am sure. Now what is the emergency John?” Stephan asks, not wanting to go into details about his recent attack.

“I think you’d better see for yourself.” John says leading the way towards the back of the house. He pauses for a breath at the door leading the way down to Isabella’s herd. John finally pushes the door open and gestures for Stephan to proceed first.

Stephan crosses the threshold and stops. “Why is it so quiet?’ he asks. When John does not respond, Stephan turns to look at him. John is careful to avoid eye contact, and looks ill.

Stephan musters his courage to continue the journey down the flight of stairs and around the small corner to the holding pens Isabella uses for her herd. The sight the greets him can only be described as a bloodbath. The four people kept in this dank dark room are all dead, ripped apart as if by a wild animal.

“Mother of God.” Stephan breaths, feeling the bile rise in his throat as he notices blood dripping from the ceiling.

“Antonio and Elis are replacing the herd. We are in charge of clean up.” John says, and then adds “Mrs. Bruno has returned.”

..~~~**~~~..

He sighs heavily and sits in the large arm chair facing the window. Patriarch knew it was a mistake to release Isabella, his instincts had warned him that letting her go her was a huge misstep. The girl couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. How is he going to explain this to his army? What had he been thinking?

He put his own personal goals before his grand scheme.

He was thinking of his image with the Ventrue. The reputation of his family name was now in the hands of his wayward, head-strong, ill-mannered daughter. He had the same feelings of doubt the night he Embraced her. His paternal feelings, no matter how hard he tried to deny continually reared its head.

He cannot change his past actions; all he can do now is to strategize about this error in judgment. He has to take this into consideration, and as he sees it he has two options. Kill his daughter, or attack the Kindred sooner then they planned. He ponders moving the attack ahead a month, it would be tight, but is it possible? He watches the moon rise, his mind running through the resources that they were building and what still needed to be done. He soon realizes that it was not feasible. They need that time to finish gathering the necessary supplies. He cannot change the attack date.

Slowly the realization sets in that his daughter must die. The thought fills him with more pain then he thought he would ever feel. He needs to explain how Isabella escaped. His mind plays through several scenarios, none of which were plausible. Then it occurs to him. The perfect scapegoat…Random. With his mind shattered by Lollipopp, even the other Malkavian ghouls could not understand him or his actions. He would have to ask around, find a time when Random was unaccounted for. That could be when Random releases Isabella. The rest of his army believes Isabella was his Regnant, and that he would have no reason to free the one who had scarred him so. Yes, this could work.

He would have to send Brandon and his new team to eliminate Isabella. He would not take the chance of his paternal feelings getting in the way again.

Isabella must die…

..~~~**~~~..

Lolli wakes with her arm still in pain. Hesitantly she looks at her arm, hoping the fire was just all a terrible dream.

“Evenin’ little girl.” Jeremiah says.

“I…I was hoping…” she starts, looking at her arm.

“I know darlin’. I know.”

“Where’s Stephan?’ she asks, changing topics.

“He had to meet someone named John, I had to blindfold him when taking him…can’t say that made him too happy, but he complied. Sydney cut him good; little girl, he’s going to have scars on his chest.”

“Oh no.” she says softly covering her mouth as she watches Jeremiah dig out some gauze from his backpack.

“She’s marked him as Ventrue.” He explains gingerly taking her arm and just as carefully begins wrapping it in gauze.

“What am I going to do? As Primogen I have to take action, to show the Ventrue that this kind of action is not acceptable. But she’s my sister.”

“You are going to leave Sydney to me.”

“Ok…yeah. I can do that.” She says, her voice trailing off. Silently she watches the burnt flesh vanish beneath 2 layers of gauze.

“Don’t wanna wrap it to much, burns gotta breath to heal.” He explains. He then carefully wraps her hand and each finger. “Little girl. I’m sorry about your arm, but I’m glad you survived. You are a shining light amidst all this darkness.”

“Thank you.” She says in a small voice.

“I got ya something.” He says in a much brighter tone. Again he reached into his pack and pulled out something wrapped in pink tissue paper.

“I ain’t much for wrapping.” He says apologetically as he hands her the bundle. She grins, momentarily forgetting about her arm and tore through the paper. Soon she’s holding up a baby blue long sleeve shirt, on the front was a cartoon raccoon in an executioner’s hood holding a bloody ax. Lying in front of the raccoon was a cartoon bunny with its head several inches away. The caption on the shirt reads “I put the cute in execute.”

“I love it!” she squeals, throwing her good arm about his neck. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He places a fatherly kiss upon her forehead and chuckles softly at her joy.

“I think your boy is calling.” Jeremiah says, nodding towards the small ringing cell phone.

“Stephan!” Lolli exclaims, happily. It’s the first time since her injury that she’s sounds happy. Stephan closes his eyes, it hurts him knowing he has to hurt her with the news he has. “Are you OK?” she asks correctly reading the silence on the other end.

“Isabella is back.” He answers in his flat, emotionless tone.

..~~~**~~~..

Despite Lolli pleads and tears Stephan returns to the Bruno Manor after his phone call with her. Jeremiah had to hold Lolli back, insisting that this was Ventrue business and Malkavian need to stay out. It tears him up to hear her cry, but he has his duty, and right now his duty is to return to Isabella. To ensure Isabelle of his loyalty to her and to keep his beloved Lolli safe. As he approach the large house, he can feel the man he is becoming retreat as the old emotionless Stephan begins to take over. He is amazed at how quickly the change had come over him, it took Lolli’s months to coax this new Stephan out but only minutes for him to retreat. Stepping out of the car he straightens his tie and pulls on his jacket before making his way to the door.

He and John had spent most of the day overseeing and assisting in the clean-up, moments before Antonio and Elise arrived with the new victims. Afterwards everyone retreated to their apartments to bathe and change before their meeting with Isabella. Stephan straightens his jack and then walks into the manor.

“Good evening, John. Have the others arrived?” Stephan asks.

“Elise is not yet here.”

“I am confident she is not far behind.” Stephan says, casually walking past John towards the study, Isabella preferred room for meetings.

“The meeting is downstairs.” John quickly informs.

Stephan pauses, mid-stride; the meaning of the location is not lost on him. None of Bruno’s ghouls ever want to go downstairs. Downstairs is Mr. Bruno’s ‘Educational Center for Wayward Ghouls’ as he called it. Fear sends a chill down Stephan’s spine and settles like a lump in the pit of his stomach.

“I see.” Stephan says, retreating a little deeper. He and John turn to the sound of the door opening. Elise walks in as casually as Stephan, and greets both men.

“Our meeting is downstairs.” John repeats.

“What’s downstairs?” She asks. Elise, like Antonio had only been ghouled to Isabella and were never subject to her father’s rage, strict rules or brutal consequences of failure.

“Pain.” Is Stephan’s only response as he leads the way to the room he has not seen in decades.

The trio walk in silence back towards the area of the manor that house Isabella’s herd, but instead of turning left towards her herd they turn right towards a set of stairs leading down.

Stephan finds his mind wondering back to the time he first moved to Las Vegas, Mr. Bruno knew exactly what he wanted. It was left to Stephan to negotiate with the contractor to have this ‘basement’ installed. It was an expensive endeavor as the ground in Las Vegas does not lend well to include basement in the homes.

“Why are we here?” Elise asks. Her frightened voice pulling Stephan out of his musings.

“Because we failed.” Stephan answers, as he opened the heavy door and making his way down the stairs many of Mr. Bruno’s ghouls had been dragged and in two cases, thrown. Stephan himself has never before gone down these stairs, but he could not stop the memories of a similar flight of stairs back in Italy. A shiver runs down his spine.

At the foot of the stairs is a large dimly-lit, solidly built concrete room. Shackles had been installed into the walls and reinforced while Mr. Bruno was still the ‘Lord of the Manor’. This room was entirely Vincent Bruno’s design, the dim lighting to build suspense and increase fear, the recessed drain in the center of the floor and the water spigot for easy clean-up. Opposite the stairs in the far corner, sitting ominously in the shadows is a wooden rack, Mr. Bruno’s favorite ‘toy.’ It is the only torture device left in the room, only because it was too large to remove. The damnable thing was built in the room, and nothing short of a chainsaw was going to remove it. The lack of torture instruments did nothing to calm either Stephan or John as they made their way deeper into the room. The matte black paint on the walls and ceiling were Isabella’s only contribution, until tonight.

In the center of this gloomy room sits a heavy, oak rectangular table with enough chairs for Isabella and her ghouls. At the head of the table Isabella sits, her elbows on the table and her steepled fingers brought up to her lips, her eyes fixed on a random spot on the table. She does not acknowledge the trio’s entrance, not even when they quietly fill the vacant chairs. Her silences is unnerving, most of the ghouls exchange nervous looks. Neither John nor Stephan dare take their eyes off her, they can feel her anger filling the room like a like a dark brooding storm.

“Father often encouraged me to use this room. He would scold me for the loose reins I held where my ghouls were concerned.” She says, still not looking at any of them. “I tried treating you like employees. Allowing you time off, your own personal dwellings so you don’t have to stay in the manor” She leans back in her chair, still not looking at any of them. “My theory was ‘happy employees are productive employees’ … but it seems happy employees are not loyal employees.” Finally her eyes scan the table. “So, tell me what have you been doing the 30 days I was missing? And do not try to lie to me by sayig you were ‘looking’ for me. I know each and every one of knew exactly where I was being held.” Venom drips from her words.

“We planned a rescue. Antonio was working with your underworld contacts to supply us with weapons. Elise was working with your police contacts to secure access and blueprints to the location where you were held. John was working to ensure we had the financial means to secure the weapons, access passes, and blueprints. I was working with the Nosferatu for any additional information they could supply about your abductors.” Stephan reports.

“I see.” Isabella says, obviously not impressed with the amount of work her ghouls had actually done over the past 30 days. “And what about David?” she asks, now turning her attention to the man who sat at the far end of the table. “What were you doing?” Her voice as dark as the gleam in her eyes.

“David was assisting Emma Marks.” Stephan volunteers. Isabella leaps to her feet, slapping Stephan soundly across the face. Everyone held their breaths, this isn’t a good sign. She had never raised a hand to any of them, no matter how violent her temper she always held back where they were concerned.

“Forgive me Ms. Bruno. I spoke out of turn.” Is all Stephan can say.

David stared at the bright red hand print on Stephan’s face, still in shock from what he had just witnessed. He didn’t know what to say, or how to address the irate Ventrue.

“Well?” she hisses, her eyes locking on David’s trembling form.

“I…I was helping Ms. Marks. Accompanying her and obtaining information about what the Ventrue knew about your disappearance and what they were doing to locate you.”

“Were you?” she sneers, sitting back down.

David was going to answer until he saw John give a subtle sign that he should remain silent.

“So in my absence who took you in?” There was a mass answer of Emma from everyone, including John and Stephan who were still under the suggestion implanted by Emma last night.

“Emma?” She is looking at Stephan, a surprised expression on her face. “You didn’t run to your Malk whore?”

“While I turned to the Malkavian for assistance in locating you, I did not offer her my services as her ghoul.” Again it was the conditioning speaking.

“You have never lied to me Stephan.” She says, her dark eyes locking onto Stephan’s. “But there is always a first time.”

He takes a quick breath as he feels her mind slam into his and his will crumples beneath her dark gaze.

“Who have you called Regnant in my absence?”

“Emma Marks.” He hears himself answer. Emma’s conditioning holding up to Isabella’s mental assault.

“Did you offer yourself as a ghoul to the Malkavian?”

“No.”

When she pulls her eyes away, Stephan blinks quickly and winces at the oncoming headache.

“So tell me…when was this ‘rescue’ going to take place?”

“This Saturday.” Three of them answered at once.

“This Saturday.” She repeats her tone making it clear she doubts their words. “Why did it take you 30 days?”

“We needed to know what we would be going up against…”

“No excuses!” She screamed, rising to her feet and throwing the heavy table across the room with such force that it virtually shatters when it hits the wall.

“For 30 days I was their captive! For 30 days they bled me!” She shouted. “You should have come! That’s your job! You should have been there and your weren’t! So now I will follow my father’s advice because it is clear to me now, that ghouls do not respect what they do not fear.” Her voice calmed, but her temper raged in her eyes.

“So I have arranged for some education.” Isabella slowly makes her way towards the stairs. “Allow me to introduce you to your instructor. Rorschach!”

Fear fills even Stephan’s eyes as the figure of a 12 year old girl descended the stairs followed by 10 large, muscular men, two of which carry large bags. Her pale blonde hair and pale hazel eyes, when combined with her European nose and high cheek bones hinted at her Polish heritage.

John makes small fearful sounds as he falls out of his chair trying to scramble away. Stephan finds himself unable to move out of the chair. Vreneli Rorschach is a legend among the Ventrue for her cruelty and sadistic nature. She is also rumored to be over 800 years and 5th generation, neither rumor has she every confirmed or denied.

“Miss. Rorschach, thank you for your time.” Isabella says, politely addressing the woman on the stairs.

She smiles pleasantly and nods at Isabella. Rorschach remains on the third step from the bottom while her ghouls stop at the landing, an intimidating wall of flesh.

“We have all ready discussed rape and dismemberment.” Isabella says this more to frighten her ghouls than a reminder. Carefully Isabella slips past the imposing ghouls saying “I shall leave you to your work.” As she heads up the stairs.

Once the door shuts, Rorschach smiles sweetly and says “Get them.”

Her ghouls explode into action. Quickly capturing and restraining Isabella’s ghouls. Stephan and John are held separate while the others, despite their protests and efforts to the contrary, are shackled.

Rorschach gasps suddenly, and points to a dark corner of the room.

“Is that a rack?” she asks with sadistic glee. “Bring it out!” she sounds almost giddy, John’s and Stephan’s stomach turn. Five of Rorschach’s ghouls struggle to pull out the devise. One finds a small table and busies himself with unpacking the bags, the remaining four ghouls restrain Stephan and John.

“Hello John. How’s the leg?” she casually asks, her hands behind her back.

“It…it’s 85% functional.”

She frowns and snaps her fingers again, and both John and Stephan are roughly forced to their knees.

“I don’t think I heard you John. Repeat that.” She orders, her voice still sweet as she pushes a stray strand of her platinum blonde hair behind her ear.

“Ye – yes mistress. Please forgive me mistress.” John stammers “My leg is 85% functional, mistress.”

“That’s what I thought you said.” She gently pats John’s cheek causing him to flinch as if h.

“Stephan, I thought I would never see you again.” She smiles broadly, her voice dripping with dark excitement as her pale green eyes sparkle with anticipation.

“As did I mistress.” Stephan responds, his voice flat and emotionless.

“Ah, but when you say it you mean ‘hope’.”

“Mistress is most perceptive.” Stephan comments, careful to keep his eyes averted.

Rorschach giggles “When you say ‘mistress’ it is just another word to you like chair, or shoe, or even sir. It has no meaning real to you.” She sighs quietly and takes a step closer to Stephan.

“My apologies mistress.”

“I have a proposition for you.” She drops her voice, but speaks just loud enough for John to hear. “If you give me the location of the Malkavian, I will release you with no re-education.”

“Thank you, mistress, but I will face the consequences of my actions.” Stephan responds almost immediately. From the corner of his eye he can see John’s shocked expression

“Why protect her?” she asks.

“I am not protecting her, mistress. I am protecting myself.” He responds.

“I don’t see how.”

“She has gathered a rather loyal following among not only her clan, but also Gangrel, Nosferatu and most notably Frank of the Brujah. Should something happen to her I would be their first suspect. I would wager that no matter how much pain you inflict, you will not kill me, I doubt I can say the same for them.”

“Are you so sure?”

“I am betting my life.” Stephan says, taking some solace in the knowledge that Lolli is safe.

“Do you want to know a secret?” Rorschach asks. Not waiting for Stephan to respond she leads in and whispers in his ear “I was hoping you’d refuse.” She waves her left hand and points at Stephan with her right.

John is dragged away and Stephan’s shirt is forcibly ripped off. Her eyes widen at the blood speckled bandage.

“Stop.” She orders. Without hesitation she is obeyed. Carefully she peels off the bandage to see the injury underneath.

“Most interesting.” She says at the scepter shaped wound. Then her eyes widen with inspiration. She rushes over to her ghoul who was carefully unpacking the instruments of her trade. She dove into the bag and almost frantically begins rooting about for something. Finally she pulls out a small device and thrusts is at her servant.

“Make it work.” She then returns to Stephan. She makes another gesture and Stephan is pulled onto the rack, despite his attempts to the contrary. Once he was strapped down, one of her men lifted her up onto the table where she straddled Stephan. She gave a signal and they slowly turned the wheel until she signaled for them to stop. Stephan’s shoulders, wrists, ankles and hips protest, there is a pressure building in his knees and his breath comes out in small pained gasps.

“Stephan?”

“Yes, mistress.” He manages.

“Would you like to tell me how this happened?” her tiny fingers were following the path of Sydney’s knife work.

“No mistress. I do not want to tell you how this happened.”

“And why not?”

“Because mistress, I do not remember all of the details.”

“How unlike you, Stephan.”

“I agree, mistress.” Is all he says not wanting to go into details about being attacked my a Malkavian.

“I rather like the design.” She says, her fingers pulling small pained sounds from Stephan.

Her ghoul hands her the small device, which Stephan can see is chiseled tip wood burner. She grins a dark evil grin and leans down.

“I hope you don’t mind if I clean up the edges a bit.”

..~~~**~~~..

Isabella cannot hear Stephan’s screams as she sits at her desk reviewing a month’s worth of reports submitted by her ghouls. Of course the downstairs room were so insulated that she could stand just outside the door and not hear anything. She is surprised at how light her conscience feels at leaving her ghouls at Rorschach’s mercy and for that she was glad. It allows her the concentration she needs to retain the information she is reading. So much has changed in the month she’s been gone.

The list of changes is staggering. Mason and Raven have been executed for plotting to assassinate the Brujah Primogen. Chris White is now Prince and has appointed Frank as his Sheriff. Caird is now the Brujah Primogen. Lollipopp is now the Malkavian Primogen…and those are only the most notable.

She also read that once she resurfaces, Peltier will see to Isabella’s education for her role in the assassination plot. Upon reading this she decides to la low for a bit, there is some unfinished business she needs to tend to. First and foremost, is to cancel all leases and pull her ghouls home. Next is to eliminate that pain the ass Malkavian…Lollipopp.