Chapter 42 - The First Crack
Julian was home for the weekend from his first year at university. He didn't know the full extent of the family's past; they had shielded him from the gore and the coffin incident.
He was in the kitchen, laughing with Elena, when his phone buzzed incessantly.
"Who’s texting you, Julian?"
Elena asked, her tone casually maternal, though her instincts screamed warnings.
"Just a random number, Mom. Probably spam,"
Julian said, but he shoved the phone into his pocket with a movement that was too quick.
Elena caught the flicker of anxiety in his eyes.
"Let me see it,"
Elena said, her voice dropping to a command.
"Mom, it's nothing,"
Julian protested, stepping back.
"Julian. Give me the phone,"
Daniel appeared in the doorway, his voice like cracking ice.
Julian pulled the device out and handed it over. Daniel scrolled through the messages. His face turned a shade of pale that Elena hadn't seen since the night of the gala.
May you like
"They know who you are,"
Daniel whispered, reading a message that contained a photo of Julian taken from across the university quad.
