Page 86 of Perfectly Perplexing Zombie

Wendall’s cheeks pinked.

I skimmed my fingers down Wendall’s cheek, and something calm settled in his eyes. “Most appealing,” I repeated in a hushed whisper.

“You were always beautiful,” Parsnip hurried to say. “Zombie or more…alive.” Knowing his history, I understood Parsnip’s thoughts.

“Thank you, Parsnip,” Wendall said.

Vander planted a tender kiss on Parsnip’s cheek. “How did I get so damn lucky?”

Now Wendall wasn’t the only one blushing. Parsnip tried to say a word or two but stumbled too many times and finally gave up.

“Holy shit!” Johnny pushed through the crowd and grabbed Wendall tight, spinning him around.

Peals of joyful laughter filled the room. When he set Wendall back down, Johnny held him at arm’s length. Trinket had thankfully wrapped her tail around Wendall’s arm and had somehow managed to hold on. “Don’t even think about leaving me high and dry now that you’re back in the land of the living. You’re one of the best damn employees Lucroy’s ever hired.”

“I’m here as long as you want me. I might want to go back to college someday, but I think I’ll start with online courses first.”

Despite what happened with Stover, I wasn’t the least bit surprised Wendall wanted to go back to school.

“Fair enough.” Johnny slapped Wendall hard on the shoulder. “I think we can figure something out.” His gaze swiveled to the Stover’s body, and Johnny’s nose scrunched in distaste. “Muriel, I don’t suppose you could do something withthat.”

“Oh, I’ve got plans for him.” Muriel clapped her hands together, maniacally rubbing them. “Don’t you worry. The carcass will be gone within the hour,” Muriel promised.

I didn’t question what she planned to do with that carcass but suspected I’d see Arthur Stover again, picking through the dead remains of the most recent roadkill.

“Wow,” Wendall said, his wide eyes mimicking his surprised tone. “Looking at his dead body doesn’t make me hungry at all. In fact, it churns my stomach.”

Muriel chuckled softly.

Wendall’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of embarrassed crimson.

“If none of you need Peaches and me further, I need to get him back to his orchard.” When Peaches started to protest, Lucroy gave him a stern look, and Peaches deflated. “You know I’m right.”

A reluctant nod was Peaches’s only form of agreement.

“Before you leave, I would like to ask the two of you to guard this.” I held out Aurelia’s amphora to Peaches.

Eyes wide, Peaches’s wings thrummed to life, lifting him off the ground so that he was staring down at Aurelia’s object of attachment.

“Us? Why?” Peaches’s gaze swam through the room, finally landing on Aurelia. “If any of us keeps it, I think it should be Wendall.”

As I’d predicted, Wendall didn’t want the responsibility and shook his head. “I don’t want it.”

Attention on Peaches, I said, “It is safest with you. I can think of no better, safer place than your orchard. As Lucroy’s beloved, you share his long life. That, combined with your bond with the land, will help safeguard Aurelia’s object of attachment. I can think of no better keeper than a pixie and a bonded one on top of that.”

Peaches still didn’t reach for the amphora. “Phil would be a better choice. He’s bonded to Sedrick’s house. No one is getting in that he doesn’t approve of.”

“Phil would be a good choice,” I agreed. “However, two young werewolf children live in that house, and Phil’s life span will not outlast yours. It is best to keep the amphora somewhere safe for as long as possible.”

Peaches wings drooped when I spoke of Phil’s lessened life span when compared to his own.

Instead of looking to Lucroy for his thoughts, Peaches addressed Aurelia. “Are you comfortable with that decision? It’s your life. I want to respect your wishes.”

The hard planes of Aurelia’s face eased. I’d never seen her so relaxed. “I do not believe anyone has said that to me before.”

“Well, they should have,” Peaches assuredly stated.

“Be that as it may, they have not. As to your question, I agree with the fairy. Consider me in your care.”

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