Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (31 page)

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I guess I’m just surprised to see
you.”

“Have you seen your father yet?”

“Yes, I arrived in the middle of the night. I
just went for a walk to clear my head before my wife gets up. When
I don’t sleep, I sometimes get headaches and I don’t want to be
grouchy with anyone so I figured I would go for a run and get some
fresh air. It always seems to help.”

I glance down and am surprised he went
running in dress shoes. Catching me, he must realize what I’m
thinking. His casual response staggers me. “I didn’t run as a
human, Mia. It is much more helpful when I exercise as a wolf.” As
my face meets his, his voice sounds concerned. “I’m sorry, I
thought you knew?”

“No, I did. I just realize why I must have
gravitated here, that’s all. Jeff could you see if your family is
awake yet and if they aren’t could I ask you some questions?”

“Sure, I’ll be right back, unless you want to
come in.”

“No, I’ll wait. If they’re sleeping, I don’t
want to disturb anyone.”

“I’ll just be a moment.” He returns a minute
later. “They are still asleep.”

Sitting on the step, he sits beside me. “How
much do you know about what happened over the last few days?”

“My father filled me in on everything that
happened and how David is dead.”

“Did he tell you that my children were
bitten?”

“Yes, he told me that two of your children
were bitten by mistake but that your husband and other son helped
them.”

“They did help them, but I’m afraid not soon
enough. Their blood is changing and I fear that they will undergo
the transformation. I need to know how to help them and how to
protect my family. Did you father tell you that my other children
are part vampire and that my husband and his family are
vampires.”

“He did.” I can see understanding overtaking
his features. You’re afraid that if the children transform while
they are all together they can hurt their siblings or your
family.”

“Yes, I’m very afraid of that, especially
since your father says that a werewolf bite is lethal to a vampire.
Is there anything I can do to stop the transformation?” Desperation
seeps through my words.

“No, not the initial transformation, but if
someone can reach Amanda, she can help them control future
transformations so that they don’t involuntarily transform with
each full moon. My father told me that you were some kind of witch.
Do you know Amanda or does anyone in your coven know her?”

“I don’t belong to any coven. In fact, I
didn’t know anything about this type of world or myself until I
came here several years back. However, a friend of ours is
searching for Amanda now trying to track her down and bring her
here.”

“That’s good. She is extremely powerful. Even
the young werewolves she helps learn to control their
transformations quickly as long as they are not in a panic type
situation. My son mastered his transformations when he was only
three.”

I can’t help but smile at the pride in his
voice?

“He’s twelve now, but to look at him you
would swear he was twenty.”

“I thought that natural born werewolves
didn’t go through their first transformation until they were
twenty-one.”

“Normally, you would be correct, but my wife
was bitten while she was pregnant with my son.”

I gasped. “How did that happen?”

“It was an unfortunate accident. I was
assisting a friend of mine who was concerned for his son’s first
transformation and my wife came out to their home to surprise me
not realizing what I was there for. Before I could get to her, it
was too late.”

In less than twenty minutes, he leaves me
gaping at him again.

“It was a shock then, but we are alright now.
Mia, I know that this seems awful to you considering what your
other children are and your husband, but it will all work out. I
can help you this time if you don’t shut down and let me.”

Opening my mouth to inquire what he means, I
close it seeing Andrew and the children coming toward me. Seeing
me, Kayla runs. I catch her as she hits the top step. “Good morning
sweetie. I didn’t realize you woke up. I’m sorry I wasn’t
there.”

“That’s alright, dad said you went for a walk
and you weren’t too far.”

As I hug them all good morning, I catch Jeff
and Andrew starting at each other, their expressions revealing that
they met before. Unsure of whether their encounter was good or bad,
I decide it might be best to just introduce the children. “Jeff,
this is Nicholas, Nicole, Kayla and Jacob.

Releasing me, they shake his hand. He stares
at Nicholas. “You look just like your dad. It’s a pleasure to meet
you.”

“It’s nice meeting you too. Are you a friend
of my mom’s?”

“Yes, a very old one to your family. I went
to medical school with your mom and used to hang out with your
uncle and dad.”

Nicholas looks to Andrew, but I realize he is
speaking of David.

“Will you be staying at Sanctuary?”

“For a while, I came to see my father.”

Jacob smiles at him. “Is Paul up yet?”

Jeff’s eyes tear away from Nicholas. “I’m
sure they must be up by now, why don’t we go see.” He moves toward
the door, opens it and calls out. Paul is out in a flash. From the
way Jake and Paul’s eyes light up, I know they formed a lasting
friendship while trapped in the dungeon.

Jacob turns to me. “Mom, can we show Paul and
Julianne around or do we have to go to school this morning?” His
inquiry is full of hope.

“I guess you could miss one more day. Why
don’t you see if everyone wants to look around, but don’t go too
far and no powers Jake, everyone will be up and about soon.”

“I know, I promise.”

“Let me get the others and I’ll be right
back.” Paul runs back inside. When he returns, the young man
following him looks exactly like Jeff and runs over to him. “Dad,
can I go too?”

“Sure Charlie, but no phasing here.”

“Don’t worry, I know.” With that, they are
off.

Another look passes between Andrew and Jeff.
“How do you two know each other?”

Andrew replies coyly. “We met one evening
outside of your apartment window.”

I hear Jeff laugh and knowing there is more
to the story, I look at him aware Andrew isn’t going to say any
more. “Andrew is being too nice. I attacked him outside your
window. I knew what he was and thought he was hunting you. I didn’t
realize he was watching over you.”

Despite seeing they are fine, I gasp as a
picture of them fighting flashes through my mind. Andrew
intertwines or hands, bringing mine up to his lips and kissing it
softly. “It was a misunderstanding, that’s all. I’m just glad you
distracted him when you threw a cup up against the wall so that he
lost his opportunity to sink his teeth into me.” He chuckles.

“She did have quite a temper back then didn’t
she?” He chuckles, but then a flash of sorrow passes between them.
Andrew’s response immediately causes them to change their
expression. “It’s a good thing for me and the woman walking her dog
below us. Could you have imagined her face if a vampire and
werewolf dropped out of the trees?” They both laugh.

“Andrew, Mia tells me that you are worried
about Nicholas and Kayla’s transformation. Because of the obvious,
I tend to agree with her. Their first transformation shouldn’t be
anywhere near yourself or your other children. Is there anywhere
away from here that you would feel safe in sending them and that
they would feel safe considering what they have already been
through?”

Andrew appears caught off guard and Jeff
answers his unspoken question. “I arrived last night and my father
filled me in on what happened, how you and your family went to save
my siblings and then offered them a place to stay when the pack
pulled their typical crap.” Aggravation pierces his tone as his
body turns rigid.

“I take it that you are not very fond of
them.” Andrew states and I know he is trying to give Jeff an
opportunity to vent regarding this subject before anyone else comes
out.

“No, I understand the need for rules, but
when things happen, they need to learn to adjust. They need to
learn to look beyond just their own beliefs and rules. They think
what we are is a curse and believe that we need to live in
obscurity, hiding all of the time, never helping, never changing.
They can’t look beyond the bad to see all of the good that we could
accomplish. They refused to even help me recover my mother’s body
so that I could give her a proper burial, they just let her rot
there and be food for those vicious vampires.” He stops suddenly.
Worried eyes shoot towards Andrew as Jeff braces himself for an
angry response which I know will not come.

“Jeff, relax. I didn’t take any offense and I
agree with you. Some of my kind are more vicious, more barbaric
than I have seen from any creature, but I assure you that my family
and the individuals that are here are nothing like that. We do not
kill to feed. Our goal is to protect life. That is what this place
is dedicated to. We help those who have been touched by darkness so
that they can find strength in each other and the help that we can
provide.”

His posture relaxes. “My father did say that.
He said that your group refused to openly go after David and his
barbarians unless there was an immediate danger to anyone who was
on the land. I just couldn’t believe it. Grant also told me that
some of them escaped and that you left three of them in the estate
when you left. You should know that those on the estate were not
the only coven that David sired, it was his closest, but he never
wanted his line destroyed so there are others. I believe that he
sired six additional full covens and then some rogue solitary
vampires who refused to settle in one area. Two covens are rumored
to be in Europe, two in South America, one here in North America
and one in Asia. They are all just as barbaric and just as vicious
and each is headed by the oldest males that David sired.”

I am speechless, but Andrew inquires. “How do
you know so much about them?”

“Unlike my former family, those that I am
with now utilize our strength to protect people against such
atrocities. We have gone up against William, one of David’s older
creations and the covens he has sired many times. We almost
succeeded in destroying William himself in Louisiana last year, but
he eluded us. His coven there was not so lucky. Can I ask you
something? My father said that David died a human, is that
true?”

“We are not entirely sure if he was human,
but what we do know is that his heart was beating and blood began
to course through his veins.”

Jeff’s mouth opens as if to speak, but then
he freezes. After a moment, he shakes his head. “That can’t be. I
saw him kill my mother, nothing human could have ripped at her like
that. He couldn’t have been human. It’s not possible.”

Grant joins us. “You’re right. When he
attacked your mother he wasn’t human. I don’t know what happened,
but I can assure you that he is dead. I saw it myself.”

A woman holding a young child follows him
out. Reaching Jeff, he kisses the child and then her. “Mia, Andrew,
this is my wife, Sarah and daughter, Andrea.”

“It’s very nice to meet the ones who finally
convinced Grant to come.” She smiles.

Grant takes the young girl in her arms and
holds her up in the air. She smiles and his whole face lights
up.

I can hear Sarah ask Jeff. “Where are Charlie
and Mark?”

“They went exploring with the children.
They’re not too far. Don’t worry.” He wraps his arm around her
waist.

I turn to Grant. “How is Amelia feeling this
morning?”

“She seemed fine when I checked on her, but
said she wanted to sleep in. Have you heard anything from your
friend, has she found Amanda?”

“We haven’t heard anything back yet so I am
going to take Nicholas and Kayla to a cabin that we have at the
base of the mountain range.”

“Mia, you can’t be alone with them and Andrew
can’t be with them, it will be too dangerous during their first
transformation. I know he can heal, but I don’t think it would be
safe and truthfully, you are not equipped to contain them.” Grant’s
worry for my safety is apparent.

A look passes between Grant and Jeff and then
Jeff and Sarah before he nods. “Mia, I don’t know if you have made
any arrangements with your friends, but we would be happy to help
you, if you trust us.”

Andrew interjects. “We have done some
research and one of ours has been involved with a transformation
before, but this is something that is out of our realm, any
information and help that you could provide is greatly
appreciated.”

Grant turns to Andrew. “Have you any leads on
where Amanda is yet?”

“Cecil has a lead on her that she is
following up. I’m hoping that she can find her before the first
full moon and help.”

“Even if she does come, she wouldn’t be able
to do anything during their first transformation that has to happen
on its own without interference. One of our members insisted on her
help before the child had undergone the first transformation and
returned back to his human form. Amanda tried to warn him that she
didn’t know what would happen and didn’t want to do it, but he
insisted.”

“What happened?”

Grant shakes his head as if trying to rid
himself of a disturbing memory. “Jack’s body began fighting itself,
transforming in and out without any control until one day, his
organs began to shut down. It was terrible, nothing like that has
ever happened since. We found as long as the first transformation
is completed, the spell is fine as long as Amanda herself does it.
We have run across other witches and they have tried to perform the
ritual, but to no avail.”

Jeff turns to Andrew. “Does this cabin have
any reinforced walls or steel doors?”