Declan is one of the most perverted men I know. Most Shining Ones tend toward lasciviousness so Declan is more the rule than the exception. Regardless, for him to attempt to dampen a lusty mood instead of encouraging it showed just how uncomfortable Slate was making everyone.
“Not Elaria.” Slate protested as he stood then went to pour himself a drink. “She sang a few songs, that's all. She could sing one more. Can't you, sweetheart?”
Slate returned to his chair and sat in it the same way he had when he had first demanded that I strip for him; back when I was his prisoner. It gave me the shivers and also an epiphany. A zone lord is connected to his zone. If the residents had been affected by Gargo's blood, wouldn't it serve to reason that Slate would be too? Sweet stones, it had been staring me in the face this whole time.
“Slate, you're not acting like yourself,” I said softly.
“What are you talking about?” Slate scoffed. “It's unlike me to want my girlfriend to behave like a girlfriend? To desire you? How is that not normal?”
I looked at Darc and something passed between us. Blood. What was good for the zone would be good for its lord. We needed to cleanse Slate. I stood up and Darc followed suit.
Slate frowned at us. The other men watched warily.
“I think you've been infected, honey,” I said gently.
“Don't be ridiculous. I'm fine.” Slate grimaced. “Look, I'm sorry if I offended you. I was just trying to find something for us to do together.”
“No, you weren't,” Darc murmured. “You are behaving strangely.”
“You punched Binx for making a joke,” I reminded him.
“He deserved it,” Slate huffed. “He's Binx; even his name is dumb.”
“Binx did good today. He helped us. He didn't deserve that.”
Slate frowned. Blinked. Cracked his neck and set down his drink. “I'm fine.”
“Just let Darc put some of his blood on you,” I cajoled.
“I think it would be best if he drank it,” Darc countered.
“I'm not drinking blood like a damn Blooder,” Slate growled.
“Watch it!” Banning snapped.
“Oh, fuck you, parasite prince,” Slate said scathingly.
We all went still.
The men would sometimes tease each other but once things started to get out of control, they had agreed to keep it light; to never maliciously deride each other. Slate's tone alone had broken that pact. Not to mention, this simply wasn't like him. Slate doesn't say things like that. He'd never once looked down on Banning for being a Blooder, a race most Beneathers scorned.
“Grab him,” Darc said to the other men.
Slate snarled as they came for him, shifting into Gargoyle form and shredding his new clothes as Gage, Declan, Banning, and Torin closed in.
“This is unnecessary,” Declan said.
“Thank you,” Slate huffed. “At least one of you hasn't lost his damn mind.”
“We don't need to restrain him,” Declan went on and waved a hand at Slate.
Slate dropped to the floor, suddenly asleep.
Did I mention that Shining Ones are the strongest magic users in the Beneath? Well, with the exception of true Gods.
“I could have used that trick earlier,” I noted dryly. It rather galled that I, who had created the Shining Ones, couldn't do all the things they did.
“I can manage to put one Gargoyle to sleep,” Declan said, “but a crag of Trolls may have been beyond me.”
“Aw, you don't have to be modest, baby,” I drawled.
“May I remind you two that we have a problem?” Torin asked dryly.
“Right.” I looked down at Slate, still in his Gargoyle form. “Let's prop him up. I don't want him to choke on the blood.”
“Are we seriously going to force Darc's blood down Slate's throat merely because he got a little cocky?” Gage asked.
“I didn't mention this earlier but at the end of the fight with the Trolls, after I put them to sleep, Slate killed one of them,” I said grimly. “The guy was unconscious and Slate ripped out his throat.”
“Fuck,” Gage whispered.
“Help me prop open his mouth,” Declan said to Gage.
The Griffin nodded and wedged his fingers into one side of Slate's mouth while Declan took the other. Slate's impressive canines were put on display.
“What? You couldn't just magic his mouth open?” I teased Declan.
“Never waste magic, Ellie,” Declan chided but winked at me.
Darc drew his blade again and stepped forward. This time, he cut his palm then made a fist over Slate's open mouth and squeezed some blood into it.
Slate immediately flinched then began to tremble. Declan and Gage jerked back as Slate's jaws clicked shut. His body fell to the floor in a palsy; shaking as his zone had. I gaped at him. I hadn't been a hundred percent sure, but here was my proof. Slate had been infected and it had been far worse than the Felinae or the Trolls; it had stayed with him. He'd broken through a few times, but it kept creeping back up to influence him. My breath caught as I watched one of the men I loved be cleansed by the blood of another.
At last, Slate went still and his body shifted back to human.
“I think that's a good sign,” I said cautiously. “Both for him and the Zone.”
Darc nodded. “I believe both are now cleansed of Gargo's blood.”
“But perhaps you should return to that seer in the morning,” Torin suggested. “Just for confirmation.”
“Yeah, I think you're right,” I agreed. “Can you help me get him into bed? Then you guys can go home; we should be fine now and I think it would be better if you weren't here when he woke up.”
Darcraxis grimaced. “I concur.” He picked up the naked Zone Lord and slung him over a shoulder. “Direct me, if you please, my fire.”
Chapter Sixteen
I had Darc lay Slate in his old bedroom, just down the hall from the office, and then kissed my men goodbye. After they were gone, I poured myself a drink, refreshed Slate's, then took both glasses into the bedroom. I set his on
