“It’s a hoax.”
The Bitten looked up. “What?” She looked up at Bomber, absolutely shocked. “Are you serious?”
“It’s a hoax. Some asshole photoshopped it.”
The girl held up the book. “But all these people…”
“Give them a beer and tell them to go home.”
He started to walk away, then stopped. The YouTube video. Lorenco would be on it. He could manipulate something –
He ran to his office and got on the computer. He advanced the video frame by frame, watching carefully. Lor always had his hat low and the glasses on. The camera wasn’t really focusing on him, so he was a little grainy.
He scented Anilia and heard her heels on the concrete floor, coming closer. He glanced at the doorway and saw her there. “Bruce?”
“I’m trying to see…” And then the video ended. “FUCK!” He slammed his fist down, shattering the keyboard and the drawer. Anilia jumped.
“Get out,” he said, more of a growl than words, and she saw his red eyes. She bolted.
He forced himself to at least go outside, into the alleyway, and he saw a wino there. He stalked over to him, grabbed him by his jacket. He looked at him, confused, and Bomber sank his teeth into him, tasting the vodka through the blood. The man fell limp in his arms and he kept on drinking, not caring anymore. Then, there was nothing.
He looked up, and saw Bear there with another man. Bomber got up from his knees, wiping them. “We’ll take care of it,” Bear said, motioning to the body.
“You’ve done this before,” Bomber said, not wanting to meet their eyes.
“Jacmes had a ‘friend’ who used to come by. A lot like you, hair-trigger temper. He stayed for a almost a year and then Jacmes got him to leave. We’d have one dead body almost every night. We got really creative.”
“Jacmes totally blew the F– vampire secrets with this whole club. Telling all of you everything.”
Bear shrugged. “He told us what he wanted and we did it.” He glanced at his companion. “None of us questioned it. He knew what he was doing. Just like you.”
That was the Blood Bond talking, Bomber knew it. “I’ll try not to have a dead body every night.”
Bear made a motion and the other guy went to get the body. “Put it in the van.”
“Right,” said the guy.
“I have to go to the Isles. Can you give Anilia a ride home?”
“Sure.”
He glanced up at the moon, using his military training to gauge the timing. There was no way he’d make it back before sunrise, which meant he’d have to stay in the villa. Besides, what was left at the condo in Founder’s but memories, things that he knew would set him off?
He went back inside and went to the security console that had a computer. He pulled up that YouTube video again and reported it to get removed. Before he did, he stared intently at the man in the white hat, a man he would give his unlife for.
He touched the screen. “I wish you’d be the one to take it,” he whispered, “and not some pansy-assed Ventrue.”
Words: 540
Inspiration: the scene of him smashing the computer was in my head since this morning.
Music: None
Comment: Seriously considering toon death and having an entirely different character lead Camarilla – which I probably won’t play with much anyway. However I do not want to lose Stature as a player.