7. Not a Ghost #2
The apparition flickered. Its mouth still moved in that silent scream, but something in its black eyes shifted. Confusion, maybe. Or surprise.
“Make me. And if you want to convince me to do anything you want,” Gabriel continued, “putting that specific face on will never help your case.” He jabbed a finger at the specter’s translucent chest and met no resistance. “I hate that face. Find another one.”
The Madaze image wavered, its features contorting, rage bleeding into something uncertain, almost vulnerable.
“That’s right,” Gabriel said, crossing his arms. “I killed the real thing. You think a cheap copy is going to work?” He leaned closer, dropping his voice to something cold and vicious. “You don’t scare me anymore.”
Which was a lie, but Gabriel meant it in that moment.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then the apparition collapsed inward, its features dissolving into shapeless light before winking out entirely like a snuffed candle.
The foyer fell silent.
Real silence this time, the kind that came after storms, heavy and exhausted.
Gabriel stood alone in the center of the room, fists clenched, his breath stuttering out in ragged bursts.
The chandelier hung motionless overhead. No doors slammed. No temperature shifts. Even the gaslights burned steady in their sconces.
Behind him, Miles made a choked sound that might have been Gabriel’s name.
Genna just stared, her blue eyes wide and assessing .
Gabriel unclenched his fists. Smoothed down his shirt. Flipped his sweat-dampened hair back from his face with both hands.
“Well,” he said brightly. “That was cathartic. What was the question again?”
Genna recovered first, forcibly reassembling her composure. She started to explain—“I know someone who…”—but she didn’t get the chance to finish.
Miles crossed the foyer in three long strides and cupped Gabriel’s face in both hands. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I—”
Miles kissed him.
Not a peck. Not a careful brush of lips. A proper, thorough kiss that tasted of relief and awe and something molten that made Gabriel’s knees briefly forget their job.
Miles pulled back and stared at him like he was a newly discovered, particularly fascinating type of magic. His thumb brushed the curve of Gabriel’s cheekbone.
“Absolutely not,” Genna said, flat as a plank. “You are not doing this here.”
Miles ignored her. “You are remarkable. I am so proud of you.”
Gabriel’s brain, still pleasantly scrambled from the kiss, took a moment to catch up. “I—what?”
“Whatever this is—” Miles gestured vaguely at the silent foyer, the motionless chandelier. “—it recognized you as a threat to its position when you directly challenged it. Then it assessed your confidence and...” His mouth quirked. “Retreated.”
Oh.
Oh .
A grin stretched his lips, sharp and delighted. “Well. Obviously.” He flipped his wrist and gestured broadly. “I mean, I am naturally intimidating. You saw how I stared it down, didn’t even flinch. Very brave. Exceptionally brave, really, considering—”
Miles kissed him again.
This one was shorter but no less devastating, all heat and promise and teeth grazing Gabriel’s bottom lip in a way that made his toes curl in his boots.
When they broke apart, Gabriel forgot what he’d been saying.
“Can we please —” Genna started.
“The danger does add a certain thrill,” Gabriel said breathlessly, not quite looking away from Miles’s mouth. “Very stimulating. Gets the blood pumping. ”
“I will leave,” Genna announced. “Right now. I will walk out that door, and you two can sort this mess on your own.”
Miles pulled back a little with visible reluctance. “Maybe we should all leave before the chaos starts again. I admit I got a bit carried away.”
Gabriel leaned against him, still riding the twin highs of victory and Miles’s hands on his face. “I love it when you get carried away. And anyway, it seems quiet now.”
Genna sighed. “As I was saying —”
“Before you were so rudely interrupted by the well-deserved celebration of my heroism?” Gabriel supplied helpfully.
“—I know someone who might be persuaded to come look at this.” Genna’s tone brooked no argument. “Give a different perspective on the problem.”
Gabriel’s curiosity sharpened. “Who?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I won’t have you two harass her the way you harassed me this morning.” Genna’s blue eyes narrowed. “Messaging me at dawn—”
“It was hardly dawn ,” Miles protested. “The sun was fully up.”
“—demanding I drop everything to come deal with your haunted mansion—”
“Not my haunted mansion,” Gabriel said. “I want nothing to do with it.”
“—and now you want me to drag someone else into this circus.” Genna crossed her arms. “So no. I’m asking first. If she says yes, I’ll let you know. If she says no, you don’t get her name.”
Gabriel studied her, the set of her jaw, the defensive hunch of her shoulders. Genna was protecting someone. Interesting.
“What if we promise to be very charming?” he tried.
“You’re never charming.”
Gabriel pressed a hand to his chest, wounded. “Miles, darling, tell her I’m charming.”
Miles, the traitor, said nothing. Just smiled that small, private smile that meant he was enjoying himself far too much.
Genna’s mouth twitched. Almost a smile. Almost.
“Fine,” she bit out. “I like you. Marginally. In small doses.”
Gabriel’s cackle of laughter echoed through the foyer .
“Only because you’re a survivor,” Genna continued, speaking over him. “And you have the good sense to be terrified of the right things. But you’re still an insufferable brat.”
“An insufferable brat you like ,” Gabriel said smugly.
Genna turned toward the door. “I’m leaving before you change my mind.”
“Wait—” Miles straightened. “The person you’re asking. Will she actually be able to help?”
Genna paused, one hand on the doorframe. The midday light streaming through caught the white streak in her hair, turning it silver.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But if anyone can make sense of this, it’s her.” She glanced back at them, expression serious. “I’ll let you know when I know. Until then, I’d like to be here whenever you return to the house. Gather more data and such.”
“Excellent. I think it’s time to stop for the day. We’ll let you know when our next foray will be,” Miles said.
“Fine. Don’t die before then.” Genna’s gaze flicked to Gabriel. “And stop antagonizing whatever this is. You got lucky once. Don’t push it.”
Gabriel sketched a teasing salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
She snorted and walked out, leaving the door open behind her.
The foyer fell quiet again, still that exhausted, post-storm silence. Gabriel sagged against Miles, his pulse roaring in his ears.
“That,” he said into Miles’s shoulder, “was absolutely terrifying.”
Miles’s arms came around him. “I know.”
“That could have turned out very badly.”
“Yes.”
“You’re supposed to disagree with me.”
Miles pressed a kiss to his temple. “You faced down the thing wearing your abuser’s face and made it blink first. I’m not going to insult that by pretending it wasn’t dangerous.”
Gabriel buried his face in the crook of Miles’s neck, breathing in soap and sweat and the familiar comfort of him. His hands shook where they clutched Miles’s rumpled coat.
“Come on,” Miles murmured. “Let’s get out of here. I owe you a fancy dinner, and I intend to deliver.”
Gabriel didn’t argue.