Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (18 page)

“I will be back as soon as I can, hopefully
with your friends. In the meantime, if you need to rest, there are
extra rooms upstairs that we have for visiting guests, have Grant
show you to a room.”

He retreats as Grant sits beside me. “Do you
think that Jason can keep it from Marlena and whoever is
Jacob?”

“Jason is a very good man and knows the
importance of what I asked, he will be very careful.”

“What about the other two?”

“I can trust them implicitly besides I cannot
protect my children who are there from here and knowing their
father unless he is sure that it isn’t me, he won’t attack me or
Jacob. I know that in that moment of hesitation, one of my children
or someone that I love will die. I know that Kenneth said that two
of them were suspicious and staying behind, but we don’t really
know what they are suspicious of. What if it isn’t about the
imposters, they may only be searching for our missing family
members. I can’t have two barbaric vampires with only who knows
what kinds of strength and power looking like myself and my son go
into a hospital and school area where there are not just our kind
but humans who have no special power or strength to protect
themselves and who have already suffered. I have to hope that
giving them the heads up as to what is coming their way will
prevent injury and death to those there and hopefully we can work
on getting those here out. Do you think that if you go back to your
pack without me that you could convince them that they have to move
now and cannot wait to speak with anyone else or wait for their
arrival?.”

“Mia, when I left the pack to come and find
you, I violated a direct order to stay on our lands, I have never
broken from a direct order before. This type of behavior would only
go to prove my sister’s argument that I have been bewitched. If I
go back there now, it is likely that they will hold me in one of
our cells.”

“What are you talking about, what type of
cell?”

“We have holding cells. On occasion, we have
had instances where our kind have gone crazy, been bitten or been
bewitched and we have had to hold them until the elders decide what
to do with them. If I were to return now, I would probably be held
in the cell until they could determine that I was either not
bewitched or that there was no help for me. Either way, it would be
precious time lost.”

I hear something in his voice. “Grant is
there something that you are holding back?”

I hear him sigh. “Mia, you need to understand
something first, it wasn’t that I thought I was holding something
back from you and I wasn’t trying to mislead you, it’s just that I
didn’t believe that it was possible and it was determined that my
great, great grandfather had gone crazy because of the vampire bite
that eventually killed him.”

My mouth drops open. “What do you know?”

“Mia, please I’m sorry that I wasn’t totally
honest with you, but you have to admit you are not fully
forthcoming with me either. It’s just that I was listening to you
talking to Jason and if you really do trust him I think that you
should know something and that you should call him back and let him
know of this possibility.”

“Grant what is it that you didn’t tell
me?”

“It wasn’t entirely true that I didn’t know
of the possibility that David could change before this time. I told
you that the story of Elizabeth was famous among our kind, but what
I didn’t tell you was that she had come on to our land when she
returned here for revenge against the family that took hers. She
had taken several wolves, they stormed the estate during a hunt.
She had underestimated them though and her pack was severely
decimated. My great grandfather heard the cries that night and he
and his brothers went into the woods against the elders’ orders.
Two of his brothers died, but my great grandfather got Elizabeth
and some of the others in her pack off of the estate. Elizabeth
stayed here for a while to allow some of her members to recover
from their injuries. While she was here, David must have caught her
scent and I have heard vampires never forget a scent. She was
walking the grounds when he came to her. She said that he was safe.
She identified him as the one that had rescued her. However, that
evening, two of our Elders were found bitten and then he went after
Elizabeth. My grandfather leapt in between them and he was bitten.
Elizabeth stayed with him until the end in the cell, the elders
believed that Elizabeth was too young to remember what Lucas looked
like and that somehow an imposter convinced her that it was him.
Elizabeth insisted that she did not forget and my grandfather
insisted that she was deceived by David saying that he saw the
vampire transform from Lucas to David just before he lunged for
Elizabeth. They thought that he was impaired because of the bite
and that he could have never seen what he claimed. Obviously, we
were all wrong. I’m sorry I kept this from you, but if they all
have that power, Marlena might be able to change into someone else
if she thinks that they suspect her, so if they tip their hand in
any way, they need to grab her and find some way of holding her so
that she or the one pretending to be Jacob can’t transform into
anyone else.”

As this sinks in, I remember David telling
Marlena that after she bit me he would transform her. With any
luck, maybe he is the only one with that power and found some way
to transform them into one person. Hopefully, they can’t do it
themselves. Calling Jason, I convey the possibility that if she or
Jacob catch on or are out of their sight they could change into
another persona. He tells me that he has already talked to Rachel
and Ryan and that they are prepared to keep an eye on both of them
and ensure that they don’t get to anyone, but that they aren’t sure
if they will tell Andrew or any of my family until after they talk
to Emma and Reginald since we don’t know enough about the family to
know what their powers are and what they are capable of.

“Mia, can I ask you something? You said that
your son did not know how to transform and you didn’t know how so
it couldn’t be from his being a witch, what are you people really
because vampires don’t change.”

“Grant, I’m sorry, I can’t say what allows
him to change.”

“Mia, please if he can do it and David can do
it, at least if you told me what it is about you people that allow
this type of transformation, we could learn what to look for. I
need to understand what allows David to do this if we are ever to
even have a chance at defeating them.”

“I know that you are looking for answers, but
I assure you that what allows my son to transform is not what
allows David to change.”

“How do you know? I understand that you want
to protect your family, but if there is a new breed of vampire that
could transform into anything they want, the way we transform from
human to wolves; I need to know. I understand that your son is not
evil, but those in the family that is near our territory are
monsters and if you have answers, you need to share them
please!”

Feeling around for his hand, he puts it in
mine knowing what I am searching for. “I know that you are
frustrated and I can understand why, you have an evil force that is
a constant threat to your family and all future generations and
feel helpless to stop them because even when you get some, there
are others out there and new ones being created all the time. I
understand that feeling very well, but I assure you that what
allows my son to change is not what allows David to transform. What
he does must be a type of illusion and it must have limits,
otherwise, he wouldn’t need answers from Jacob. Grant, the
information that I am withholding from you can’t help you with this
problem and may only bring more problems to you if you knew.”

Before he responds, Kenneth enters, but his
are the only footsteps. My heart sinks at the thought of it only
being Grant and I. Despite our willingness, my impairments and his
solitude against only who knows how many on the estate is a recipe
for defeat. The cushion bows and Kenneth is next to me. “They have
all left the hospital. I was speaking to the nurse at the front
desk and she told me that they were a family that came to help out
temporarily and were returning to their home. I had commented to
her how that was too bad because we had a new parishioner who was
very ill from the states and that I had heard some of the family
were specialists in rare cases and wanted to see if they could come
and see if there was anything that could be done to help.
Antoinette informed me that two of them had let her know that they
would be returning later on to finish up here, so I asked her to
convey my plea that they come and see me. I explained that it was a
matter of utmost importance and their assistance may save a life.
I’m sure that they will come. In the meantime did you eat or would
you like me to show you where you can rest? I think that it would
be best if you and Grant waited upstairs, sister Christopher will
be back shortly with father John. We were supposed to go over the
schedule for visiting the patients at the hospital. Normally, I
would reschedule, but he is a visiting priest and when I could not
reach him at St. Steven’s rectory, the receptionist told me that
she believes he is already on route.”

“Thank you for trying father.”

“It’s Ken and don’t worry, my meeting will be
short and I’m sure that your friends will come when they return and
get the message, especially if their concern for helping people is
anything like yours.”

Grant takes my hand. “Let me help you
upstairs.”

“Thank you.” With each step, the thought of
having to wait weighs upon me. Any delay could lead to
disaster.

Reading my thoughts, Grant pulls me from my
introspection. “I think it would be best if we are patient. I’m
scared too, but on our own, I don’t think that we are equipped to
save them.” Despite his words, his voice reveals his own
distraction at this new conundrum.

“If we wait and they don’t come, we will have
wasted more time. We should try to get onto the land and see if
there is anything that we can do to help them.”

“Mia, be reasonable, you can’t see, the only
one outside of my pack is Ken and he is no match for even the
weakest among them. I can call my son and see if they have heard
anything from the ones we sent out for help.”

As Grant talks to his son, my mind reels at
the possibilities of what my family, both those here and now headed
for home could face. If we could only free those here, they could
easily grab the two who would be isolated in our territory. It’s
quite ironic. Grant and I isolated here and Marlena and her family
member isolated there with everyone’s lives hanging on which pair
of lone fighters are victorious.

Grant’s aggravated tone pulls me from my
reverie. “We can’t wait that long...Don’t they understand that
Julianne and Paul will be dead by then...We have already allowed
this family to live too long and cause too much carnage...”

His frustration rises with each word. He is
getting louder. I reach and touch his arm reminding him of why we
came up here and his tone turns hushed. “I do realize that the
world does not believe we exist and that it would be dangerous for
us if they learned about our existence and whereabouts, but maybe
by giving into this fear, we have handicapped ourselves and allowed
their reign of terror to flourish. If we were to get together and
attack them, even if some of theirs escaped, who would they
tell?...I understand that if they left the land they could attack
in public and risk everyone, but I can’t sit idly by as I lose
another family...No, you stay there. When a plan is in place, if I
need you, I will call.

The phone clicks and he is pacing wildly in
what I can now tell is a small room.

“Grant, please sit down. We don’t want anyone
to hear that we’re up here.”

A guttural growl escapes before he is next to
me.

“What happened?”

“The others returned with a small contingent
who will hear our plea and take it back to their elders. Although
they understand that two of ours are captured, they want more
information on the family before deciding whether to attack. They
too know of what happened when Elizabeth tried to attack and do not
want to be caught underestimating the family. They sent out scouts
who will report back to their pack before a decision is made, but
that could take days and I don’t think we have that kind of
time.”

“Grant, what did you mean when you said that
you wouldn’t lose another family?”

His tone turns distant. “About fifty years
ago, Amanda had returned to place the spell on our children. My son
had just turned twenty-one and my wife, my two sons and I were on
the outskirts of our land so that he could practice. We were trying
to see if he could transform at will and track us. We heard screams
in the woods and my first wife and oldest son ran to help. David
and Kristen caught them before they could transform and they were
gone before Jeffrey and I could reach them. We saw it all, the
brutality and horror in Gwyneth’s eyes before they took her life.
Jeffrey was so distraught after that, I sent him to live with a
family we knew in Virginia. He never came back and now I’m faced
with losing more of my children. You’re right, we can’t wait.”

“So when do we leave for the estate. They
shouldn’t be expecting us and maybe, we could get to the others
undetected. I know some spells that we can utilize if someone gets
too close and maybe with some luck, if we can get to my family,
they can help us get the children and get out of the estate.”

He places his hand on mine. “Mia, I want to
go but I need to get us a little help, otherwise, we are sure to be
caught or killed.”

He is on the phone again, his tone conveying
his impassioned plea. “Elizabeth, it’s Grant Sheffield, I need your
help to save my children.”