[Doctor Gabriel]

Gabriel’s eyes snapped open.

How long had it been since he’d heard her call him Gabe?

That thought was buried under the adrenaline that propelled him out of his bed and yanked open his bedroom door to burst into the apartment proper.

Then his skin started burning off.

“Shitshitshit. Right, sun. Daytime,” he spat as he sprinted back to the safety of his room, “Ow. Ow. Ow. Stupid. Ow. Ow. Fire. Owowow. Orb.”

Safe from the searing sunlight, he ripped the duvet from his bed and pulled it over himself like a cloak. He steamed as he ran toward the sound of Mila’s screams, but the pain couldn’t register under the shear fear for her life.

I promised her I’d never let anything happen to her…

I promised...

The cries of confusion and dread seemed to be coming from the bathroom. He fought the urge to burst in, but he’d learned not to do that after making the mistake once before when she’d first first entered puberty. Instead he smashed his fist against the door in violently, panicked knocks.

“Kiddo!” he bellowed at the door in desperation, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did they come back? Can I come in? Tell me why you’re screaming, Mon Petit Ange!”