Neckbeard Vampire: Nightbeard Rising
Page 31
Chapter 19
“Unhand me, you rancid swine!” Dex threw the fatty Paxton to the floor of Chad’s basement. His kicks and screams could be heard throughout the house.
“Where is she?” Dex’s voice was calm and calculated, it purveyed a threat that none of the company had yet heard. Dark and powerful, Fantasia shuddered with a flurry of excitement at the authority.
Paxton spit at Dex, “Where is who?! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
A sound of slapping skin silenced everyone—Paxton’s cheek grew bright red.
“Check him.” Dex ordered.
Cruxx grabbed Paxton from behind, handing one arm to Mickey and together the two of them pinned him to the floor while Jaxxon5 searched all over his body.
“Pay particular attention to the arms and thighs—anywhere there’s a major artery.”
After a few minutes and a lot of struggling, Jaxxon5 looked up: “He’s clean. No bites.”
“Good.” Dex sighed in relief. “Feed it to him.”
Cruxx grabbed Paxton’s jaw and held tight, forcing the mouth open while Mickey pinched his nose shut. Dex produced a small red pill from the pouch on his belt, walked over to Paxton and jammed the thing in his mouth.
“Now swallow,” Dex commanded. Paxton shook his head in violent rejection of Dex’s order, hacking and spitting the pill out, then forcing his mouth closed against Cruxx’s powerful grip.
He kicked and squealed, fighting hard.
“You’ll have to kill me!!!” Paxton screamed. “I live to serve—to serve her!”
Johnathan covered his ears, fighting hard to drown out the vile screams of his former friend.
“I am hers—she is mine! I have loved her! I have served her! I have wooed her!!” and with one final burst of energy, he pushed Mickey to the side and screamed, “Milady!” The sounds of her favorite pet name reverberated from the walls.
Jaxxon5 moved quickly. Grabbing the pill—now grimy with basement dust and loose hairs—he threw it directly into Paxton’s open mouth—directly plugging his throat. Cruxx seized the moment and forced the boy’s mouth shut once again.
Paxton swallowed hard, prompting Cruxx to finally loosen his grip. Paxton wrestled free and scrambled back from his captors.
“Bastards!” His eyes were full of hate and he spit the words viciously, as though his anger might turn them into poison against his enemies. “What did you do?!”
“Listen to me, Paxton.” Dex began to speak. “The Dakimakura—Dasha—she’s using you.”
“What?” The unexpected accusation caught him off guard. Then denial took over. He began to laugh, mocking the idea. “Impossible! Using me? For what! Fool! You’re jealous—jealous that I have her love!”
Mickey leaned over to Dex, “When will the pill start to kick in?”
The doctor answered the question, “It will take time—and a little re-education. Now it has begun.”
“Do you have her love, Paxton? Really?” Dex responded, the sound of incredulity pervading his voice.
“Yes...of course!” He began—but not altogether sure of himself. Where was this attack coming from? Who could suggest such a thing—how would these…strangers, these…bigots full of hate and misogyny ever understand what it meant to truly love and respect a woman, and have her truly love and respect them back? They couldn’t!
“You don’t understand!” Paxton shot back—preparing to launch a verbal assault against the intolerant sexists. But he couldn’t. He began to cough and gag, retching and keeling over in agony.
Chad ran over, grabbing him, hoping to comfort his friend. Paxton pushed him away. “Get--*cough*--*hack*---off---,” he could barely get the words out through the nagging cough. “—meee!!” Chad fell to the floor.
“What’s happening!?” Chad yelled to Dex.
“It’s happening. The pill is having an effect…and he’s fighting it!” Dex watched emotionlessly as Paxton struggled and writhed on the floor of the basement.
“Do we have something to contain him?” He asked to the room.
“You mean like a jail cell or something?” Mickey asked. “We could lock him in a closet, maybe?”
“I have an old cage from my dog.” Randall said, “It locks with a padlock…and it’s pretty strong.”
“Good.” Dex said, “Go get it.” And Randall disappeared up the stairs.
As soon as Paxton had passed out, Dex turned to everyone in the room. “You are to begin taking your dosage of the red pill immediately. You all must be thinking clearly, and it is the only way to resist her charms. The Doctor and I will continue to make more so we have a supply that will last.
He laid a bowl full of the pills onto the table. “Everyone take one.”
The group lined up—each taking a pill and swallowing.
Dex watched them all, but Chad had not taken his.
“Where are you going, Chad?” He asked, noticing the boy was headed towards the stairs.
“I need a glass of water—I’ve never been able to take a pill this big.”
Dex nodded, accepting the explanation. “Yes,” he agreed, “the Red Pill is a hard pill to swallow. Bitter in the beginning, but eventually you’ll find that it is the only way to win…it is the gateway to the truth.”