Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Love, Blood, and Fangs

Julia Locke POV:

The phone rang for several minutes before the person on the other side picked up.

“Hello?” a sleepy voice answered.

I couldn’t blame them. It was nearly 4:00 in the morning after all.

“Hello, Rob,” I greeted. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Julia Locke?” Rob asked back after a long pause. “Yes, it’s been … what, fifteen years?”

“Fourteen years, seven months, one week, three days,” I corrected just so I could show off. “Have you been well?”

“About as well as I can be,” Rob replied. “But I don’t think you would reach out to me after all this time just to ask how I am,” he pointed out correctly. “What can I do for you, Julia?”

“I’m calling about an acquaintance of yours, Rob,” I explained. “A Marcus Cutler.”

There was a sharp intake of air on the other side of the phone, and that confirmed I had called the right person.

“What about Marcus?” Rob asked me hesitantly.