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The quill dropped from his hand as their voice cut through his thoughts, panic immediately settling in as soon as they began speaking.
“I heard the Count was coming to visit you soon, doctor. I’d clean up a bit if I was you, I heard it was quite important.”
With a gulp, Julian nodded, while the other simply folded their arms together.
“Well, I don’t really care what happens to you. If he killed you, I’d get to do the honors of opening up your skull- oh, what a pleasure that would be!”
Even with their mask on, Julian could imagine the sick smile they were wearing. With a swing of their white coat, they left the mans personal dungeon, their footsteps barely echoing.
Releasing the breathe he was holding, Julian got back to work.
Anytime they spoke to him, he felt as though he couldn’t breath. He didn’t know what it was about them, maybe their sickly aura, or the way they spoke, but something about them just made his insides twist with dread.
Deciding to take a small break to recollect himself, Julian pushed his papers away, letting his eyes slip closed as soon as his lamp was off.
He’d completely forgotten of the warning Valdemar had provided; the Count was coming to visit him.
He rarely ever came down to the dungeons; said it wasn’t “his style”. What could be so important that he’d go out of his way to go into the dungeons?
Whatever it was, Julian hoped it wouldn’t take too much time. The Count, although not very frightening, was a box full of mysteries. Nobody ever knew what he was up to, not even his own wife.
Julian didn’t have to wait very long for the Count to show up to his dungeon, contrary to his wishes. The soft sound of echoing footsteps hastily grew louder, signaling that somebody was making their way down the stairs.
Everybody was off work at this time, meaning it couldn’t be anyone other than Lucio or Valdemar. The latter had made it quite clear that they weren’t planning on coming back for the night, meaning it couldn’t be anyone other than Lucio.
Mentally bracing himself for whatever was going to happen, Julian let out a deep sigh as he flicked his lamp on. Taking out his papers and quill, he pretended to be jotting something down as a knock sounded at his door.
“Mr.Devorak! Would you be so kind to open the door for your lovely Count?”
With absolutely no wish to open the door, Julian reached for the lock, quickly undoing it and swinging the door open.
“Count Lucio! What a surprise. And to what do I owe the pleasure of having you visit me during these hours?”
Putting on the facade that he likes the Count was nothing new for the man, he’d always been a fan of theatrics, yet something about the Count was strange today. The way his arms were hidden behind his back, and the mischievous grin that tugged at his lips as a playful sparkle danced in his eyes was off putting to say the least.
“Why, I just wanted to visit my favorite worker, that’s all.”
His voice sounded as though it had been coated in honey, trying to pull Julian in with its sweetness.
Being the gentleman he was, the doctor pulled a chair out for the Count, who gracefully sat onto it, hands still hidden behind his back.
“How’s the research going? Made any progress yet?”
The question sounded light-hearted, as if he were asking about the weather and not the cure for a deadly plague killing off half the population.
Attempting to hide his nervousness, Julian gave a slight shrug, continuing to write none sense on the paper before him.
“We’ve all been working hard, yet there’s more and more victims every day. I mean, there’s not enough space on the streets for dead bodies! That’s insane! We had to get a whole island just for the purpose of cremating there.”
Spitting completely random things always worked with the Count, and this time was like no other. He continued to longue on the chair, doing his best to look like he cared about what the doctor had to say. Yet, as soon as the other finished, he stood up, making his way over.
“Actually, doctor, there is a reason I came here today.”
Having his curiosity peaked, Julian turned around in his chair, gaze connecting with the Counts.
“I brought you a little present. Now, would you mind closing your eyes for me?”
And although Julian knew not to trust the Count and his antics, curiosity had always gotten the best of him. With that said, he compliantly shut his eyes, hearing the Count approach him shortly after.
A soft hand lay itself on Julians cheek, caressing it softly as the Count seemed to shuffle something in his other hand. The hand soon moved to the doctors lips, running over them gently before a pair of fingers made their way into his mouth.
Surprised by the intrusion, Julians eyes shot open, and the sight that greeted him was nothing that he’d expected.
In the Counts golden hand, squeezed gently between two fingers, was a beetle. Not any ordinary beetle, no, but a red beetle. The plague beetle.
Unable to speak, Julian could only swallow as he watched the Counts hand, which only got closer as he spoke.
“Oh Jules, are you nervous?”
He moved the hand holding the beetle to Julians cheek, sliding it up and down in a petting motion. It didn’t feel very pleasant though, considering it’s a piece of metal; cold and metallic, making the doctor feel extremely uncomfortable.
“I hate to do this to you, I really do, but your work is just too slow, and the plague is moving too fast.”
Not giving Julian any time to shake his head in protest or even kick the Count, Lucio’s hand had already made its way into Julians mouth, shoving the beetle down his throat.
Attempting his best to fight against it, Julian pushed at the Counts arms, trying his best to push him away. However, Lucio wasn’t exactly weak, quite the opposite actually.
Julians back roughly hit his table as Lucio continued pushing, completely catching the doctor off balance.
The taste in his mouth was disgusting. The beetle, mixed with the taste of blood and metal from the Counts arm was enough to make him gag. Yet he couldn’t, as he still had Lucio’s hand down his throat, with his fingers prodding his mouth open.
Unable to fight any longer, Julian accepted his fate and swallowed, feeling the beetle squirm down his throat. Opening his eyes that he hadn’t even realized he’d squeezed shut, his gaze immediately fell on the Counts smile.
An incredibly sick and twisted grin displayed itself on his face, clear ecstasy in his eyes.
The scratch at Julians throat was getting too much to bare, and he couldn’t help but cough as Lucio laughed.
“Well, now that you’ve got a reason to speed up your research, I do hope you find that cure soon. It would be a shame to lose my beloved doctor, right Jules?”
Having no wish to answer, the doctor remained silent, but Lucio didn’t seem to mind. Turning his back to Julian, the Count made his way to the door, fishing out a key from his pocket.
“I seemed to have forgotten to mention! In order to keep you more productive, I’ll be locking you in here. I’m sure you won’t mind, right?”
And although Julian wished to protest, he didn’t get the chance. Lucio was out the door in seconds, turning the lock and looking through the eyeholes.
“I do hope you find the cure soon, doctor, I wouldn’t want you to rot in here.”
And with that, Lucio left the dungeons.
Barely able to comprehend what had just happened, Julian pulled himself onto his bed, not having enough strength to even sit.
What… the fuck just happened.