DS Chapter 14

“Well, you were kind of like one.”

“Huh!”

I let out an exasperated breath as Logan’s lips curled into a subtle smile. I raised my eyebrows at him.

‘He’s smiling a bit more naturally today.’

Logan only smiled about once every three days. Sometimes it was a small smile, sometimes a faint chuckle, and occasionally, he’d even let out a big laugh.

But lately, his smiles had seemed strange.

In the past, Logan had a bold, refreshing smile, one of his most attractive features. But now… his smile felt forced, awkward even.

It was like his facial muscles had stiffened from not smiling for so long, making his expressions seem unnatural.

‘Then again, in a world like this, what’s there to smile about?’

Still, I hoped he could smile naturally again someday. A pretty smile is just as good as a tasty cake… No, wait. That’s not right. Logan isn’t something to be eaten.

My thoughts kept drifting toward food, and it was becoming troublesome. It must be because it was almost dinner time. Once I had something to eat, I’d feel better.

I quickly scurried to the kitchen, eager to escape my thoughts.

The kitchen was a mess. A tacky sunflower painting, likely the previous owner’s taste, hung crookedly on the wall. Black mold grew abundantly on the walls, and the sink was lined with grime.

‘Ugh, I need to do a deep clean at some point. It’s unbearable.’

I couldn’t exactly complain about the mess while freeloading here. Though I’d been pretending not to notice the filth due to my poor health, I’d definitely clean up once I was fully recovered.

As I busied myself preparing dinner, Logan slipped into the kitchen. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me with an unreadable expression.

I ignored his gaze and continued working. Was it really that fascinating to watch someone who used to be a zombie doing everyday tasks? Hmm… maybe it was. I suppose I was an interesting sight to him.

Just as I grabbed a slab of raw red meat for Logan’s dinner, he stepped forward.

“I’ll grill the meat.”

In an instant, he snatched it from my hands, almost as if he were worried I might devour it raw.

‘You’re more appetizing than that slab of meat, though.’

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. Honestly, the bright red meat didn’t interest me in the slightest.

The thing I found myself craving was Logan—his pulsating neck, the scent his body gave off, his arms that looked as tempting as perfectly ripened apples, and his chest that seemed like it could be devoured like a piece of soft chiffon cake.

I swallowed hard and turned away. Despite the medication, my urges hadn’t lessened in the slightest.

‘Is the medicine even working? Will I ever be cured?’

I couldn’t tell whether these cravings were normal or abnormal, and that worried me.

I feared that if I gave in to these urges, I’d revert back to being a zombie. I had heard that the chances of a complete cure were slim, and that only fueled my anxiety.

For those infected within a month, the chance of recovery was 40%. At three months, it dropped to 20%. Six months brought the chance down to 5%. And for those infected for over a year, like me… there had been no successful cases before. I was an anomaly.

As that ominous fear piled up inside me, a sudden, sickeningly sweet scent hit my nose.

“Ah.”

I whipped my head around to see Logan slicing the meat, a drop of blood oozing from the tip of his finger.

A wave of dizziness washed over me. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, and I could feel the blood vessels in my body expanding.

Logan casually washed his hand under the tap, completely unaware of how painful it was for me to watch the blood swirl down the drain.

Ugh, what a waste.

“…Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I muttered, licking my lips as I stole glances at him. How long would I be able to hold back this hunger? It had been two weeks, and despite my medication, my strange appetite for him only seemed to grow stronger.

‘Maybe if I just take a little bite, I’ll feel better?’

The burning thirst, the hunger gnawing at me, and the desires bubbling to the surface… it all led me to that absurd thought.

“What are you doing? Eat.”

His voice snapped me out of my daze. I looked up abruptly to find myself sitting at the dining table, a plate of the same tasteless food in front of me.

When did I sit down?

My mind had been so completely focused on Logan that I had no memory of cooking, setting the table, or even sitting down. I was starting to scare myself.

Why couldn’t I remember what had just happened? Was I on the verge of turning back into a zombie?

With trembling hands, I picked up my fork and forced the food into my mouth.

I couldn’t taste a thing. Actually, it was worse than tasteless—it felt like chewing on dirt. I had to suppress the urge to vomit.

‘You have to eat, you have to. No matter what, you have to get this down.’

Fear started creeping up from the soles of my feet, slithering up my calves, past my belly, to my chest, until it finally choked my throat.

“Ugh!”

I gagged, nearly retching. Desperately, I covered my mouth with my hand, forcing the food down as my entire body seemed to reject it.

“…What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

If I told him I wanted to eat him, I’d be dragged to the zombie research facility immediately.

But I couldn’t hold back anymore. I wanted something fresh. I couldn’t take another bite of this revolting potato.

Could this be sexual desire? They say hunger and desire are similar. Maybe this wasn’t a zombie’s hunger but something more human.

And sexual desire is natural, after all. Even if I didn’t love Logan like I used to, it was possible to feel desire for him.

Yes, maybe that’s it. Maybe it’s fine. I’ll just taste him—just a little. I won’t bite; I’ll just lick, like you’d savor ice cream.

I’ll gently lick him, savoring the moment slowly and teasingly.

Maybe then the urge would go away. Maybe releasing this pent-up desire would make me feel better.

“Why aren’t you answering me?”

Logan’s anxious voice interrupted my thoughts.

His warm hazelnut-colored hair, his sharp eyes, that strong jawline—his handsome face was perfect for sparking desire. The scar beneath his eye only added to his rugged charm, making him look even more masculine.

So…

‘Yes! This is sexual desire!’

There was no way I wanted to eat him, right? I had been treated and discharged. I couldn’t possibly want to eat Logan.

No, this had to be sexual. It had to be.

I was too terrified to confront my real hunger. I couldn’t face it because the idea that I might still be half-zombie was just too horrifying, too soul-crushing.

“Logan, I…”

I want to eat you.

“I want to sleep with you. I can’t hold back any longer.”

I want to peel off your skin and listen to the rhythm of your beating heart. I want to drink your hot, sweet blood, to savor it with every bite.

“Can’t we do it just once? Please, just once?”

“…”

“Please. Okay?”

But I won’t eat you. I’m human now. The zombie virus won’t control me.

I can control myself. I’ll just lick and nibble, like a lollipop. I’ll savor you slowly.

I crawled across the table toward him, knocking dishes onto the floor with a loud clatter. The dining table was in complete disarray, but I didn’t care.

All I could see, all I could focus on, was Logan.

“I think I love you.”

Lying through my teeth, I reached for his hand, grabbing those strong, calloused fingers. Slowly, I licked one of his fingers, tasting the skin I’d been salivating over for so long.

Even just that light touch of my tongue sent a shiver of electricity through my entire body.

It was the most incredible sensation. The thirst I’d been suppressing for so long vanished in an instant, replaced by a flood of overwhelming pleasure that pulsed through me, pounding at my skull.

I watched his dilating pupils, his body frozen in shock, his shoulders trembling, and his fingers twitching as I continued.

“I’m serious, Logan. I’ve liked you for a long time.”

Don’t run away. I lied like a snake, my tongue flicking playfully, seductively.

Logan let out a deep sigh, running his hand roughly over his face.

“…Did you have to turn the table into a mess to tell me that?”

He grumbled for a moment, but then, finally, he leaned down and kissed me. His warm breath filled my lungs, and I felt like I was going to lose my mind. It was so good I could hardly stand it.

When he pulled away, I found myself pouting and following him with my lips like a fish.

Logan stood up, staring down at me, still sitting on the table, as if I were a troublesome problem he didn’t know how to solve. Then, with a decisive movement, he picked me up.

“Let’s go to the bedroom.”

I buried my face in his neck, grinning so widely it felt like my face would split.

‘Why didn’t I do this sooner? Why did I hold back on something so delicious?’

I took a deep breath, inhaling his scent. Ah, it was intoxicating, enough to make me feel like I was losing my mind.