Page 9 of Perfectly Perplexing Zombie

Lucroy remained silent, but I didn’t doubt his understanding.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I promise to look into it.” The air grew charged. A fairy promise was binding, and I was bound to mine.

“I believe Vander has the details regarding the pixie contact,” Lucroy stated. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check in with Leon at Dusk before returning to Peaches.”

Sedrick checked his watch and huffed. “Yeah, Phil’s probably got dinner on the table. Most likely, he tried to get Dillon and Ruthie to wait until I got home, but a couple of hungry werewolf kids can be damn persuasive. I doubt Phil held out long.” An indulgent grin eased across Sedrick’s face, taking years off his appearance and softening his roughened edges. Running his fingers through his thick beard, Sedrick’s gaze drifted, his attention no longer in the here and now.

“Sedrick, you mind if I stick around a little longer? That way I can give Ray the information he needs?” Vander asked.

“Take all the time you need.” Sedrick waved a dismissive hand as he stood.

Lucroy had already ducked out and was presumably on his way to Dusk. It was odd to see a vampire out during daylight. The sun was setting when I arrived, but Lucroy was already present, indicating he’d driven to the Voss mine during the late afternoon. Peaches’s blood had changed Lucroy, and a needle of concern wormed its way through my mind. As news spread of Lucroy’s sun tolerance, perhaps it wouldn’t just be ogres after pixies.

“Let me know if you need anything.” Sedrick’s heavy palm congenially latched onto Vander’s shoulder. “You too, Ray. Anything you need, you just give a holler, and I’ll see what can be done.”

Sedrick’s heavy footfalls quieted as he left and shouted, “Make sure to lock up,” his final words before the door closed behind him. The rumble of Sedrick’s truck engine filled the night air. Vander waited until the sound diminished before he moved closer, handing me a piece of paper with a name and contact information.

“Pomegranate’spart of a pixie rescue group. Parsnip helps fund the operation. They’ve known each other since Parsnip’s rescue and recovery. He trusts her, and so do I.”

“I will contact her soon, and if not me, then an associate.”

I wanted to look into the matter personally but wasn’t certain now was the time. Muriel was meeting with Wendall, and I needed to speak with her and find out what she had learned. I thought it too much to hope that Wendall’s decay was due to improper nutrition. If that were the case, I doubted Queen Silvidia would have contacted me and asked me to employ such drastic measures.

Still, it was worth asking.

I started to turn, assuming our business was concluded, but Vander stopped me when he asked, “What’s your interest in Wendall?”

My body stilled. “What interest would that be?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. And don’t act all coy and secretive with me. Sedrick, Lucroy, and I all saw you staring at him the other night at Dusk. It’s odd enough that you’d be hanging around there, but even weirder that your attention was locked on our odd little zombie. Besides, I’ve got a sneaking, ill feeling that whatever else you need my help with somehow involves whatever’s going on with Wendall.”

Vander wasn’t wrong. I internally debated the merit of discussing the situation. Eventually, if things went as I thought they might, I would require Vander Kines’s warlock abilities. Perhaps the time was opportune to bring him up to date.

“Wendall Galen is not strictly human.”

Vander’s lips pursed while his face scrunched. “No. He’s a zombie. An odd one, I’ll grant you, but a zombie nonetheless.”

“While true, there is a reason Mr. Galen is such an unusual zombie.” Inhaling deeply, I briefly closed my eyes before relaying the important information. “It seems that Mr. Galen had a distant relative that unwittingly contributed to his current condition.”

Vander’s eyes widened. “A fairy?”

“Indeed. Though it isn’t common, more than a handful of individuals roaming the planet have no idea they have an ounce of fairy DNA. Once significantly diluted, it would be difficult for any to notice. However, even the minuscule fairy heritage within Wendall changed his zombification.”

“No shit? That’s… I don’t know exactly what that is beyond interesting. So, I get why you might have a little skin in this game, but not why you’d need me.”

I tilted my head, the length of my crimson hair floating over my shoulder. I hadn’t bothered braiding it today and left it loose. “Tell me, have you noticed anything different about Mr. Galen recently?”

“Beyond the fact that he’s a coherent, mentally functional zombie?”

My lips twitched. “Beyond that.”

Vander’s blackened fingertips slid along his jaw. A slow nod later, he said, “I noticed something. It was like the power reanimating him faded in and out. Nothing major, but it was enough to ping on my radar.”

Warlocks and witches were excellent magical detection devices. They twisted and warped the magic around them, calling it to heel and performing their wishes. It would have been odd if Vander hadn’t noticed.

“He’s also got a spot… Something I saw on his arm.” Vander frowned. “The flesh didn’t look right.”

I shared Vander’s discomfort. “It is concerning. It seems young Wendall’s fairy blood is both a blessing and a curse. I’ve spoken with Muriel. She’s checking to ensure Wendall is eating properly, but we both doubt that is the root of the issue.”

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