"Are you a good friend?" she asked.
"I'd like to think so," he said with a chuckle. "We met when he was a teen and went through some rough stuff together."
"Yeah, I know. His is a sordid history. What kind of a person was he when you met?"
"He's always been the best man I know," was the unhesitant response. His voice held an upbeat note and natural warmth that she liked. He wasn't like Dustin, who seemed more likely to kill a stranger than talk to one.
"If you all are on the side of good, why is there so much death?" she demanded.
"Trust me, there'd be more if the bad guys won. It's not easy being the good guy, and it's a job not many people can do. You have to stay true to your values while destroying something as well. It's rough," he said and gave a surprised laugh.
Damian trotted from the stairs toward the courtyard and paused, looking at her curiously.
"I'm having an issue reconciling the two," she admitted.
"Who?" Damian mouthed. She waved him away.
"We've all gone through that stage. You have to look at it like this: would you want someone to help you if something bad happened?" Jule continued.
"Yes."
"Exactly. But not everyone can do what we do, because we're, well, different than normal people. We're in a unique position to help people who can't help themselves against bad guys who want to hurt them," he said.
"I see. You have no regrets?" she asked, unconvinced.
"No way in hell, and neither does D. Because of us, many innocent people have been able to live their lives, and humanity thrives," Jule said with conviction she envied.
Damian watched her, eyes narrowing.
"I see why he likes you," she said quietly. "Thanks for talking to me. He'll call you back."
"Sofi-" Jule started to object.
She hung up and tossed Damian the phone.
"I'm going shopping Saturday," she told him. "And Jule called. He's in town."
"That's who you were talking to?" Damian demanded. She didn't miss the way he bristled but turned her back to him to return to the library.
"Yep. He's a good guy."
Don't answer my phone.
"Then stop doing that!"
No deal.
He drove her crazy, and she was hungry again. Always, always hungry. Was she destined to spend the rest of her life starving?
"Your drug dealer's still in business. For now."
"That's not funny," she said, turning to glare at him.
"No?" he asked, approaching her with a languid walk that stirred her blood.
He stopped in her personal zone, too close, but she wasn't about to back down this time. She crossed her arms and looked up at him, meeting his steady look with a challenging one of her own.