[Doctor Gabriel]

Gabriel moved so quickly most people wouldn’t have been able to see it. One second the blonde beatnick was sitting his arm around Mila, the next he was standing over her with one hand gently but very, very firmly placed on her shoulder. It wasn’t a grip to hurt her, but it’s message was clear.

“Kiddo,” he smiled softly despite the force he was exerting on her, “you’re taking a mental health day.”

He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke. It wasn’t a request or a suggestion like any good father should give his daughter, that was very, very clearly an order from a veteran to novice.

Satisfied he’d gotten his message across he gently took the mug Mila was sniffing and went to the kitchen. He washed out the remnants of coffee and sugar before making sure the blood in the packet was still hot and refilling it.

She wants it pure, I’ll give it to her pure.
I just hope she can contain herself once she’s tasted it undiluted.

“I’ll write you a note or something you can give your professor if it’ll make you feel better, but we have a whole hell of a lot to talk about and I’m not even sure you should be walking around during the day anymore. Besides…”

He gripped the counter behind him, making it seem he was just leaning against it casually when, in truth, his entire body was tensed in anticipation. He’d dealt with newborn Fledglings before and it wasn’t enjoyable or remotely easy to keep them from immediately giving into The Beast and going on a feeding frenzy across the whole damn city. But Mila was something else and the way she’d taken to the drink earlier made him wary. He despised the fact that he had to be so damn cautious around his own daughter, but if he wasn’t she’d probably wind up getting the both of them killed.

Body wound like a spring and ready to act as fast as he could, he held up the mug to her with as smug a smile as he could manage in his state of unease.

“Didn’t you want another cup?”