Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (30 page)

“I can’t believe you let us do that.”
Nicholas laughs as he finishes his marshmallow. “That is so
cool.”

“I figure it wouldn’t hurt to teach you that
now. I know that you are all curious to understand your powers and
you showed me how much you understand. I’m sure that as much as you
think starting the fire was great, you also realize how dangerous
it could be.”

“We do mom, don’t worry. We would never want
to see anything happen to the forest or the people here. We know it
is not something to play with, but thank you for showing us.” Jacob
inches closer to me and places his hand on mine.

We stay there enjoying the night sky with the
children resting against our legs until their eyes droop. As I tuck
Nicholas in, he whispers groggily. “You’re not going to leave home
tonight are you?”

Leaning down, I kiss his cheek and whisper.
“I’ll be right in the next room.”

“O.K.”

“Sleep tight. I love you and you are safe at
home.” He is unconscious before I even withdraw my lips from his
ear.

Despite the exhaustive few days, I am no
longer tired. Entering the kitchen, I make some coffee. When I came
out, Andrew is not in the living room so I head back towards the
children’s room. He is stroking Kayla’s temple gently. Hearing my
approach, he turns. His features confirm my worst fears. Rising
silently, we go into the living room. Knowing what we will face, I
need to ask. “How much time do we have before the first full
moon?”

“About ten days.”

“Is there anything we can do to stop it?”

“I don’t think so. I can smell the changes in
their blood.”

“Is there any way for Cecil to get in touch
with Amanda beforehand? Maybe the spell that allows them to control
their conversion could help us.”

“She is already looking for Amanda. That’s
why she stayed behind.”

“Did you know for sure before we came
home?”

“No, but I thought it would be best to be
prepared just in case.”

“Andrew, I know I said I trust Grant, but do
you think we should ask Reginald if he knows anyone?”

“Mia, I think that your instincts about Grant
are correct. I see a very bright aura around him.”

“I think I’m just afraid, that’s all.”

“I know. I’m afraid too, but Nicholas and
Kayla are wonderful children. They will be able to handle this and
we will help them.”

“But what if they can’t control the
conversion? What are we going to do? Maybe I should take them to
the cabin alone. It is too dangerous for you, Jacob, Nicole or even
anyone in your family to be close to them. If they were to bite
you...” The vision pops unbidden into my head as my heart races out
of control. “Is there any possibility that because you can smell
the changes in their blood, they are changing before the full
moon?” I jump up, running into the archway. They are all asleep,
but I can’t stop the fear that is overtaking me. If Nicholas and
Kayla were to change now, they could kill Nicole and Jacob.

Andrew stops me before I take another step.
“Mia, they are not going to change tonight.”

“How do you know?” You said this isn’t your
realm.”

“Mia, you know what Grant told you about the
first full moon. From everything we could decipher from our search,
he was giving you the correct information.”

“What research are you talking about?”

“As soon as we realized the children were
bitten, I gave Ryan the combination and instructed him to get the
phone from the safe. He found information regarding first
transformations and all of the information tells about it
commencing on the first full moon after the initial bite.”

“Did he find out anything else?”

“He found an account from Reginald regarding
his observations of a transformation. Although it was not an
initial transformation, it appears that the process is fairly quick
but, for younger werewolves, they may reemerge to their former self
with no recollection of where they were or what occurred.”

“Grant did tell me that about his mother when
she was first changed. She was not a natural born werewolf.”

I could see from Andrew’s eyes that there was
something more. “What are you afraid to tell me?”

He hesitates. “I don’t want you to panic, but
in Reginald’s account, the werewolf he was observing became violent
and turned on him, despite befriending him in his human form.”

“I need to take them then and go. Andrew, you
and the children can’t be around them!”

“Mia, you won’t be strong enough to contain
them both on your own, werewolves are very powerful and very
fast.”

My mind is reeling at the thought of what is
coming. I force myself to control my breathing. I need to think. If
they will be powerful and fast, the cabin is not far enough away. I
have to get the children somewhere isolated, somewhere where they
cannot harm anyone. “Andrew, Grant said they learned to control
themselves, but did you find any information about how long that
may take?”

“From Reginald’s account, he stayed with his
friend for three cycles. By the time he left, he was no longer a
target even after Samantha transformed.”

“Maybe I should take the children to Italy
until they can learn to control the transformation. You could ask
Antonio to leave for just a while.”

“No!” I hear the panic creeping into his
voice. “I don’t want you, Nicholas and Kayla that far from
Sanctuary and our family.” He gently strokes my back in an attempt
to calm my raging heart. “It will be alright. I know it seems
impossible at the moment, but everyone is still here and they will
help us figure out the best way to help the children.”

Lifting my face to his, I stare sternly. “If
we don’t come up with something in a few days, you have to let me
take them and leave. I won’t risk our family and the children have
already gone through too much. It’s not only dangerous for Nicole
and Jacob, if Nicholas or Kayla killed someone, especially someone
in their family, they would never recover from that.”

“It won’t come to that. We will find an
answer. Mia, I’m not trying to be unreasonable, but it would be
more dangerous for you and them to go off and try to handle this on
your own. You could lose track of them, they could transform back
to their human form alone and without any knowledge of how they got
there or where they are. If we have to, there is an old abandoned
caretaker house deep in the woods at the base of the mountain
range. We can take them there and see if you, Reginald and Emma’s
family can put up a protective shield around the area. In fact, let
me go and speak with Gabriel about checking the condition and
seeing what we need to make it habitable. I’m sure that no matter
what shape it is in, we can get it repaired in only a few days.
I’ll be right back.”

After a moment, I run upstairs and get the
phone knowing that Ryan would have returned it by now. Scrolling
through the files, I see one labeled werewolves and begin reading.
I knew Reginald has a photographic memory, but never realized how
meticulous his record keeping is. He not only documented the
transformation and the differences between each full moon cycle,
but included extensive photographs as well.

I didn’t hear Andrew come in. Sitting beside
me, I finally rip my eyes from the screen. He doesn’t even glance
at the file. “Have you seen this before?”

“I reviewed it with Gabriel when you fell
asleep on the plane with Gabriel. I didn’t realize that after we
saw this, he had already considered taking precautions if the
children were going to phase. He and Eva have already been out to
the workman’s cottage and work has already started. It should be
ready by tomorrow evening. Emma has already laid the groundwork
with her family to form a protective barrier around the area.”

“Do they think it will hold?”

He takes my hands. “They are hopeful, but
they did not want to put anything in the barrier that could harm
the children and where they are also witches, we just can’t be
sure. They are trying to put up just an encampment barrier which
has been successful in holding animals at bay, but it may not hold
witches. They are hoping that because this is their initial
transformation, their animal physiology will mask any of their
other forms.”

“Could they set up some stronger barrier
around Sanctuary as a second avenue of protection? I’m not
suggesting one that would hurt the children, but one that may have
a stronger deterrent.”

“We can discuss that possibility with them in
a few hours. They returned only an hour ago to catch some sleep.
You should sleep too your body is still trying to recover from the
loss of blood and stress from the last several days.”

I know he’s right, but the gravity of the
situation is overloading my senses causing my mind to race. Jacob
screams. “Get away from her, take me, take me!”

Andrew is by Jacob’s side before I even reach
the arch. “Jacob, it’s alright. You’re home, you’re safe. We’re
right here.” He gently lifts him and lays him on the sofa. As
Jacob’s eyes flutter open, he clutches Andrew as if he is a
drowning man trying to avoid going under again. Andrew rubs his
back and I take his hand.

Jacob’s muffled voice resonates from Andrew’s
chest. “It’s alright, I’m home.” Then his head whips away from
Andrew and he turns to me. “Where’s Kayla? Is she safe?”

“She’s in her room still asleep.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Jacob she’s fine really and so are
you.”

“I’m sorry. I just saw David, he killed
her.”

“Jake it’s o.k. She’s fine and David is gone.
He can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

Jacob slowly releases Andrew and his posture
relaxes slightly. We hear rustling from the bedroom. Andrew rises.
“Stay with Jacob and I’ll see who is up.”

I sit next to him. “Jake, I know what it’s
like to feel afraid and to continue dreaming after a traumatic
event, but if you could talk to me about it, I know it would help
you.

“It was so strange. We were here and I saw a
huge wolf lunge at Kayla. It came from out of nowhere, without even
a sound. All of a sudden it was there, no warning, no sound with
its teeth bared and as it headed toward Kayla it transformed into
David, grabbing her and biting her neck drinking.” His stomach
contracts violently and he cries. “I couldn’t get to her. I was so
afraid and he was so quick, he killed her before I could even
move.”

I hug him tight. “You did save her and she is
safe in her bed.”

“I didn’t save her not really. She got bit
because of me. What’s going to happen to her?”

“She will be alright. You know how strong of
a family you were born into and how many friends we have to help
us. Everything will be alright.”

As I hug him tighter, I see his eyes closing.
Andrew returns taking him from my arms, he kisses his head, and
returns him to bed.

“Who got up?”

“Kayla, she had a bad dream.”

“Did she tell you about it?”

“She did, she dreamt that a wolf, someone
called Amelia was chasing her.”

“Amelia, why would she think that she would
try to hurt her?”

“I don’t know, but she said that she saw a
woman turn into a wolf and that someone screamed Amelia come back,
but instead she chased her into the forest. She said Jacob’s scream
began dragging her from her dream. She calmed down and fell back to
sleep.” Rising, he holds his hand out to me. “I know you said you
are not tired, but you need to try to get an hour or two. If not
for yourself, do it for the children, they are going to need you as
strong as possible in the upcoming days.”

Following him into the bedroom, I curl into
his side, but sleep refuses to find me. Visions of the children’s
dreams flash though my head, along with the thoughts of Nicholas
and Kayla transforming, getting past the barriers, and hurting
those they love. By four o’clock, I can’t lie in bed a moment
longer. The room is closing in on me. I check on the children who
are still asleep. Despite Andrew’s disapproving look, I need some
fresh air to try and clear my aching head. I want to think clearly
today. “I’ll be back shortly, I just need to take a walk and
think.”

“Mia, you haven’t slept at all, you should at
least try to eat something.”

“I can’t right now. I won’t be long. I
promise.” Unsure of where I’m going, I wander through the
courtyard. I should have known where I was heading. Grant is
heading up the stairs. “Grant I’m glad you’re up. Can I talk to you
for a minute?”

Turning toward me, my eyes lock upon the
familiar eyes of an old friend. Was I always so blind as to shut
myself off from the paranormal world that surrounded me before I
entered the gates of Sanctuary? I’m speechless as he moves closer.
Maybe all mythological creatures gravitate toward each other
whether their immersed in the world of the surreal or unaware of
where they belong.

The shock on his face mimics my own. “Mia, is
it really you?”

I can’t stop staring as I fight to close my
gaping mouth and nod silently.

I can hear him mutter softly. “Ken told me my
dad was staying with a doctor named Mia, but I never put together
that it was you. You’re family always seemed so normal, I never
suspected.” He seems to be talking more to himself and then stops
in front of me. “I’m sorry about your mother and sister.”

“How did you know?”

“Word gets around the medical community.”

“So what type of doctor did you decide to
become?”

“A heart surgeon”

“That’s wonderful.” Despite finding my voice,
I know my eyes are still wide with shock. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean
to stare. I just can’t get over it. I’m sorry I didn’t know about
your mom when we were in school. Grant told me what happened.”

“Thank you. It was a long time ago and your
friendship really helped me through some dark times. In fact, it
was your...” He stops suddenly, his eyes shifting toward the
ground.