Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (45 page)

He is tender and sweet. His touch lights the
embers of desire throughout my entire being, burning away the fear
of what is to come. Although our time is short in comparison to the
forever for which I hoped, I know that no matter what is erased
from my mind his gift of love will forever warm and touch my heart
and can never be stricken, not even by the most powerful of
angels.

The gray hue pierces through the slotted
blinds signaling my final hours with this angelic man and my
wonderful family. I need to put one more thing in place before I
leave my safe haven to ensure that Nicholas and Kayla will be
taught well. Although Andrew and his family can deal with all of
the other issues, they are not knowledgeable about this one and in
his grief, I cannot let a power that will protect them fall to the
wayside, knowing that I will not be here to help protect them
myself.

Rising to start my final day, I don my mask
for one final time ensuring that I do not let on that anything in
our forever has changed. I will not break the rules, the
consequences are far too grave, so I kiss him good morning as
always, tell him I love him and get breakfast on the table just as
the children rise.

As luck would have it, or maybe it is a gift
from Michael, Jeff appears at the door to see Charlie, who is just
sitting down to eat. Andrew is called away regarding an urgent
patient matter and I seize the opportunity to put the last piece of
the puzzle in place with Jeff.

“Can I speak with you in the living room for
a moment?” He winks at Charlie letting him know he’ll be in the
next room. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, I am just hoping to convince you to
help Kayla and Nicholas adjust. I know that you agreed to help them
through their first conversion and that you have a life and pack
outside of Sanctuary, but if you or Grant could stay for a while to
assist them in adjusting and learning how to use their skills as
wolves, I know that they will be in good hands and be taught by
good people. I know this is a lot to ask and normally I wouldn’t,
it’s just that this is outside of our area.” I feel the fear of
them being alone in this if he says no creeping its way into my
heart and exposing me through my crescendo tone.

Jeff interrupts. “Mia, I’m sure you and
Andrew can guide them just fine. They are good kids and it seems
like you are a very close knit family.”

“We are, it’s just that I know that there are
aspects of this that we are not equipped to teach them and I am
hoping that you might consider staying or convincing Grant to stay
for a while to ensure that their adjustment goes smoothly.”

“I don’t know how long I can stay, but I will
definitely speak to Grant about it and I know that Paul and
Julianne are very fond of your children and could be a big
help.”

“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much better
that makes me feel.” My voice involuntarily cracks.

“Mia, what’s going on? Is something
wrong?”

“No, I’m just worried about them.”

His eyes bore into mine, searching for
answers, maybe the animal side of him senses my fear. Casting my
eyes to the floor, I fear I’m too late. “That’s not it. There is
something more. I can sense it. Let me help you this time, don’t
shut me out.”

“Jeff, it’s nothing. Everything is fine, it’s
just been a complicated few weeks and my concern for them in this
matter is getting the better of me because I can’t help them myself
in this.”

Charlie comes bouncing out of the kitchen.
“I’m ready to go.”

“Alright, let’s go.” He turns to me. “If you
want to talk, let me know.”

Leaving with Julianne and Paul, I enter the
kitchen to clean the dishes. Looking over to my children as they
rise to clear their plates, a lump in my throat rises, almost
choking me. Forcing it down, I only have a few seconds, before it
overwhelms me. I cannot let on to them that anything has changed
and if I allow my control to slip for even a second, the tears I am
forcing back will be unstoppable.

Kissing them good morning again as they hand
me their plates, I try to make a joke of it so as not to let my
sorrow for leaving them escape into my voice, but I need to tell
them I love them while they are awake.

As I hug Jacob, he looks at me with a
confused stare. “Are you o.k. mom?”

“I’m fine sweetie we just have to get ready
to start our day. I love you handsome.”

“I love you too mom.”

As they head into the other room, I close my
eyes tightly, force my emotions into a draw, and lock it tight so
as not to allow them to take hold of my heart. I need to be strong
and I need to be ready. Any indication of what is to come and I
will cost Eva her existence and forever impair the family that
flamed the embers of my dying existence, making me feel alive for
the first time. Forcing a smile on my lips, it is just in time as a
cool set of arms wrap around my waist and Andrew rests his chiseled
chin upon my shoulder. “Are you ready to go beautiful, the children
are already in the hall?”

Turning, I kiss him. “I’m ready.”

We spend the morning helping out at the
recreation center and seeing patients. At one o’clock Ryan comes in
and from his expression, I know this is it. He whispers into
Andrew’s ear and Andrew is gone in a flash, followed by his family.
Knowing the children can tell something is going on and not wanting
to leave them without kissing them goodbye, I race over to
them.

Nicole inquires. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing to worry about it’s just a
patient that we moved to another building. I have to go and help
out.” I kiss and hug them all. “I love you.”

Outside, I dash towards what I know is a
fight, Reginald catches hold of me, but we keep moving forward. “I
will watch over them, they will be fine.” Catching his features, I
know he knows what is about to happen too.

“Thank you.”

I cannot believe the strength of the vampires
that are coming at my family. They seem to toss them aside so
easily. One enters the building followed by Andrew who is tossed
out a window in a nanosecond. Immediately rising, he bolts back
inside. Eva and Jackson are on another, but I see the one who I
came for approaching with a lit stake. Knowing this is it, I throw
myself at Eva’s back.

Dr. Angelis, I’m sorry to disturb your rest,
but there is a patient on route to emergency who has been shot. You
need to scrub. Jumping up from the cot, I bolt down the hallway
catching up to Janet, handing her my watch, cell phone and pager as
she updates me. “The victim is believed to be a seventeen to
nineteen year old male with two gunshot wounds, one to the abdomen
and one close to the heart. The bullet through the abdomen is a
through and through, but the one near the heart is lodged in the
back rib cage. The EMT’s lost him twice on route. Operating room
four is ready and your team is scrubbing. Pushing into the OR scrub
room, I prepare and she is still by my side. “I placed the gown in
your office for the benefit. Jonathan sent flowers again and said
that he would meet you there. His plane was delayed, but should be
landing around seven.”

Running through the operating doors, I
prepare to operate.

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in their struggle.

Mia’s unearthing of Eva’s sacrifice all
those years ago could only lead to one action, she had to die in
Eva’s place when William’s men came to reclaim Marlena. As Andrew
tackles a world without his other half and struggles to exist and
pick up the pieces of his children’s mournful hearts in facing a
world without their mother, Mia is thrust into an existence which
no longer affords her the protections of Sanctuary and her powers.
Alone, without any recollection of her past life, haunted by
memories and visions of a tragic life which are appear to be her
own, and stripped of the ability to awaken her powers, she is in
the arms of her worst nightmare. Mia faces her most deadly
challenge to date, and one which in her new life, she is not even
aware as Jonathan returns to claim her as his own. Armed with new
skills, a fresh plan, and a secret which if revealed in the proper
fashion may lead Mia right into his awaiting arms and a commitment
which will seal her fate for all eternity. This time the dark side
may just get the soul it is hungry to consume, but only if it
claims her before a mistaken belief leads to the end of her life by
the one who will end his on in the process.