Page 32 of Perfectly Perplexing Zombie
Like a human toddler, I was inordinately pleased that I had Wendall’s undivided attention. Any attention—good or bad—was fine with me.
Relaxing, I clasped my hands behind my back. I’d left my hair loose tonight. One side fell over my shoulder, and the remainder waterfalled down my back. During our earlier interactions, I’d noticed Wendall’s gaze straying to my hair. I was not beyond using all the fairy charm I could muster and knew just how physically appealing others found me.
“I will admit, at first, that was my sole motivation.”
Wendall gave a dismissive grunt. “At first? Are you telling me now that has nothing to do with it?”
“No. Not nothing, only that something interesting has occurred. I find I am genuinely curious about you. It is a curiosity that stems within me and not from my queen’s command.”
Muriel and Johnny had backed up my own summation of Wendall’s character. He appreciated honesty and responded to it in kind. I saw no reason to lie or deceive.
The skin between Wendall’s eyes wrinkled. “Huh? What is that supposed to mean?” His gaze got caught on my long strands of crimson hair.
I took a step forward. Zombies didn’t necessarily have a pleasant odor. Most smelled faintly of decay. Wendall was no different, only there was the hint of antiseptic blended in. I suspected he used it on the necrotic areas of his skin. Even so, I did not find his scent unpleasant. Trinket’s musty odor wafted along with Wendall’s, creating a unique scent that was oddly comforting.
“At this stage of my life, very few circumstances hold my interest, and even fewer garner more than a raised eyebrow. You are pleasantly different.”
“I-I am?” Wendall’s tone went up an octave.
If he’d needed to breathe, his respiratory rate would have followed suit, and his heart would have beat madly. A pink flush would have lightened his cheeks. As it was, Wendall’s skin held the same pallor as always. His heart didn’t so much as twitch, and his chest remained frustratingly quiescent.
“You are,” I reiterated.
I dared to run my slender fingers through Wendall’s wavy blond hair. The strands were soft and slipped along my skin. Hair didn’t change much with death, and his current state likely reflected how it had been during life.
“Wh-what are you d-doing?” Wendall stuttered.
“What fairies do best—exactly what I want.”
Wendall swallowed. The music and activity surrounding us dimmed to next to nothing. I’d shown up tonight with no real goal in mind beyond speaking with Wendall. Unlike the two human males from Professor Stover’s class, I hadn’t formulated a plan of action. I’d simply walked in the door and gotten into Wendall’s private space. So far, my loose plan was working.
When Wendall did little more than frown, I said, “Go on a date with me.”
Wendall’s eyes became impossibly wide and round. “A d-date? Are you serious? You can’t be serious. Can you?”
“I assure you, I am quite serious. I believe that is the human tradition—dating.”
“It is, but I’m not human any longer. I’m a zombie,” Wendall needlessly pointed out.
“A zombie that has retained his human faculties. Your ideals have not changed with your zombie status.”
Wendall sucked on his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth. The motion did something odd to my chest and made my hearts skip.
“I… That’s true, but…I’m not sure you’d really want to go out on a date with me. I mean, we can’t exactly go to a local restaurant or anything. They don’t usually serve the kind of diet I require.” Wendall gave me an apologetic smile.
“Since my experience in this area is admittedly limited, I will defer to your thoughts. However, it is my understanding that sharing a meal is not always required on a date.”
“That’s true.” Wendall’s eyes pinched. “I don’t have much experience either. I, uh…didn’t really date much. When I was alive.”
“Then we shall be on equal footing.”
Wendall didn’t buy that and shot me a scathing look. “You’re a fairy, and I’m a zombie. I think equal footing went out the door the day I was born.”
I couldn’t exactly argue the point, but I could ignore it and planned to do just that when we were interrupted by a familiar and completely unwelcome voice.
“Wendall? Wendall Galen, is that really you?”
Wendall and I turned as a single unit. While my eyes narrowed and I felt the stirring of my internal fire, Wendall’s eyes widened with delight.