[Doctor Gabriel]

Gabriel recognized the smell of fresh blood before he heard Mila collapse on the floor. For the second time that day, his unbeating heart stopped.

“No…”

He dashed faster than should be possible and found the girl he’d raised in front of the door, blood seeping from an all too familiar wound on her neck.

“Nononononono…”

He grabbed the girl in his arms and slammed the door to the loft shut. Panicked, he placed her as gently as his shaking hands could manage on the couch and inspected the mark.

“Claudius…” he spat the name like bile. He’d developed a knack for recognizing the bites of others and he knew of every other Kindred in the city, “You’ll meet the sun for this, you vile piece of shit…”

Goddamit...

She’d been bleeding the whole way home, she wouldn’t be able last much longer.

God FUCKING dammit…

He knew what he had to do. He didn’t want to, but he knew he had no choice. Dashing to the apartment’s small kitchen he grabbed the first knife he could find and rushed back to her side. He stopped for a moment, desperately trying to think of another way-

ANY OTHER WAY

to save her. But there wasn’t one, she’d lost too much, a hospital wouldn’t be able to help.

But he could. And so he did.

He’d raised her and now he was going to Sire her.

Bending down, he bit into the other side of her neck and began draining what little was left in her. It was sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted and he cursed Claudius for ever getting to savor her flavor. He didn’t deserve a drop of it.

With the last of Mila’s honeyed blood sliding down his throat, he took the knife and his wrist sliced open. He then held open her mouth and poured the cursed blood down his little angel’s throat.

“Sorry kiddo…” he whispered, cradling her head as he damned her, “Looks like you won’t be rid of me as soon as you thought...”