Read Online Starving for Love by Nicole Zoltack - Free Book Online
Authors: Nicole Zoltack
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wanted me to tell you that your bravery is quite commendable, and you are welcome to stay here in the castle as long as you like." He nodded deeply, almost a bow, and left the room before she could say anything.
Sirena leaned against the wall while still sitting on her bed. The zombie wasn't feeding anymore. Was it not hungry anymore? Or was there another reason?
"Love," she murmured. Then she shook her head. Zombies were incapable of love.
And yet, weren't legs and mermaids incompatible as well?
Chapter Fourteen
A war was raging within him. His chest was tight. His stomach was empty. He was starved â for both flesh and love.
As hungry as he was, he couldn't stand the thought of eating another human. The idea sickened him, even as his body craved it. He now tried to avoid people as much as possible, afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself if he smelled their delicious meat, if he heard their heartbeat.
But he couldn't live this way. Not for long.
At first, he had continued to go into town to look for her, but he never saw the girl again. He thought of her without ceasing. If it weren't for her, he would still be a monster.
Yet he remained a monster. Nothing could change that.
Maybe he could change his fate.
He abandoned the familiar shadows of the forest. The moon lit his path as he walked onto the beach, stepping forward until the tide tickled his toes, crept up to his ankles, touched his knees, soaked his chest, covered his mouth, submerged his entire body. Still, he continued walking forward and opened his mouth, breathing in the water, waiting for it to fill his lungs so he could end his hunger, and his misery, since love itself wasn't a comfort, not without her by his side.
A minute passed, then another. He continued to breathe in the water, and yet he didn't die. He wasn't drowning.
What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want to live â not like this.
Several tiny fish swam by him. He didn't bother to eat them even though he was famished. What was the point? Maybe he could wither away into nothingness.
A familiar thumping filled his ears. A heartbeat. His body reacted to the sound, and his mouth watered. He closed his eyes and held still until he couldn't any longer, and he whirled around.
A half-man half-fish creature stared at him, a golden weapon in his hand.
He could see the pulse of his heartbeat in the large vein on his neck. Although he wanted to lunge for the creature's throat, he refrained, struggling against his body's basest instinct. Spreading out his arms, he closed his eyes. If the creature had come here to kill him, he was ready to die.
Time passed as he waited. And waited. And waited. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes again. "K-k-kill ⦠m-meâ¦" he managed to say. His throat burned when he tried to talk. It burned when he breathed. The only time it didn't burn was when he was drinking blood and eating flesh.
"No," the creature said.
"Pleaseâ¦" he begged. He dimly remembered a feeling, one that evoked tears, but he couldn't produce them, not that they would be seen in the water.
"Who did this to you?"
He frowned, not sure what fish-man meant. This time, he couldn't get out more than grunts and groans.
The creature swam up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I see. That damn witch. I'm not sure how you got entangled with her."
Her? The creature did not seem to like this her, so she must not be the girl he loved.
The creature muttered something and waved the weapon around, swirling it near his right shoulder, then his left, then near his legs, and above his head.
A numbing sensation filled his toes and worked its way up his legs to his torso, his arms, his neck, and his face. Dry, cracked skin healed itself, the gaping holes of missing flesh healed up, his broken nails healed, his teeth straightened, his hair untangled. The hunger burning in his stomach disappeared. The fog that clouded his mind cleared. All that remained was his
Sirena leaned against the wall while still sitting on her bed. The zombie wasn't feeding anymore. Was it not hungry anymore? Or was there another reason?
"Love," she murmured. Then she shook her head. Zombies were incapable of love.
And yet, weren't legs and mermaids incompatible as well?
Chapter Fourteen
A war was raging within him. His chest was tight. His stomach was empty. He was starved â for both flesh and love.
As hungry as he was, he couldn't stand the thought of eating another human. The idea sickened him, even as his body craved it. He now tried to avoid people as much as possible, afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself if he smelled their delicious meat, if he heard their heartbeat.
But he couldn't live this way. Not for long.
At first, he had continued to go into town to look for her, but he never saw the girl again. He thought of her without ceasing. If it weren't for her, he would still be a monster.
Yet he remained a monster. Nothing could change that.
Maybe he could change his fate.
He abandoned the familiar shadows of the forest. The moon lit his path as he walked onto the beach, stepping forward until the tide tickled his toes, crept up to his ankles, touched his knees, soaked his chest, covered his mouth, submerged his entire body. Still, he continued walking forward and opened his mouth, breathing in the water, waiting for it to fill his lungs so he could end his hunger, and his misery, since love itself wasn't a comfort, not without her by his side.
A minute passed, then another. He continued to breathe in the water, and yet he didn't die. He wasn't drowning.
What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want to live â not like this.
Several tiny fish swam by him. He didn't bother to eat them even though he was famished. What was the point? Maybe he could wither away into nothingness.
A familiar thumping filled his ears. A heartbeat. His body reacted to the sound, and his mouth watered. He closed his eyes and held still until he couldn't any longer, and he whirled around.
A half-man half-fish creature stared at him, a golden weapon in his hand.
He could see the pulse of his heartbeat in the large vein on his neck. Although he wanted to lunge for the creature's throat, he refrained, struggling against his body's basest instinct. Spreading out his arms, he closed his eyes. If the creature had come here to kill him, he was ready to die.
Time passed as he waited. And waited. And waited. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes again. "K-k-kill ⦠m-meâ¦" he managed to say. His throat burned when he tried to talk. It burned when he breathed. The only time it didn't burn was when he was drinking blood and eating flesh.
"No," the creature said.
"Pleaseâ¦" he begged. He dimly remembered a feeling, one that evoked tears, but he couldn't produce them, not that they would be seen in the water.
"Who did this to you?"
He frowned, not sure what fish-man meant. This time, he couldn't get out more than grunts and groans.
The creature swam up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I see. That damn witch. I'm not sure how you got entangled with her."
Her? The creature did not seem to like this her, so she must not be the girl he loved.
The creature muttered something and waved the weapon around, swirling it near his right shoulder, then his left, then near his legs, and above his head.
A numbing sensation filled his toes and worked its way up his legs to his torso, his arms, his neck, and his face. Dry, cracked skin healed itself, the gaping holes of missing flesh healed up, his broken nails healed, his teeth straightened, his hair untangled. The hunger burning in his stomach disappeared. The fog that clouded his mind cleared. All that remained was his
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