Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (33 page)

“I don’t understand.”

“There have been stories of werewolves and
vampires who sometimes can’t help but be drawn to a human with such
a strong desire to protect them, to ensure their safety that they
become their guardians. The connection they feel to protect them
and keep them from harm can’t be ignored, it’s like a compulsion
and they stick to that individual until they move on to the next
plane. However, they usually go unseen, undetected to the human
they are protecting because they don’t want that person to be
frightened or to become aware of our existence. Although in your
case, I guess Andrew couldn’t help but reveal himself to you. I
could see he was falling in love with you and that’s when I finally
left. I just assumed that when you got into the accident, he
rescued you and you became aware of what he was.”

“No, he was with me in the accident, but
you’re right, he also saved me that evening.”

“Now I don’t understand.”

“By the time of the accident, Andrew and I
were already working together and I had already fallen in love with
him, but he was fighting it so that this world wouldn’t touch me.
Back then, we had no idea what I was.”

He features betray his surprised by my
revelation. “I thought this hospital story was just a front to hide
the community you formed up here. Are you telling me that this is
really a hospital with normal humans that you treat?”

“Yes. This is really a hospital. Andrew is
head of the terminally ill department and I help people whose lives
have been devastated by the surreal. However, we don’t confirm this
world to them, we just try to help them find peace with what has
happened and give them a safe place to find solace where people
don’t treat them as deranged because they talk about vampires or
shadowy figures that killed their loved ones.”

Stunned he mechanically sits on the fallen
log I am standing before. “How can they stand to be around people
and not attack? How can they hide what they are from the patients?
I have only heard of the watchers being able to control themselves
against feeding on the human that they are guarding. I know that
everyone isn’t as barbaric as David and his covens, but still...”
Kneeling next to him, I know he’s talking to himself, but feel the
need to answer him.

“There are many vampires who don’t kill,
especially the ones here, they are committed to preserving human
lives and protecting those that darkness tries to claim. The St.
Cloud’s and their friends are truly amazing, Jeff, they have
dedicated their existence to helping. This is not the only hospital
that they have established and their friends are running and caring
for people in the others.”

He looks up at me stunned. “They really don’t
feed on their patients?”

“Oh no. Never. This is not a front at all and
since our children were born, they have even set up a school here
so that our children could learn how to use their strength to help
others and grow up with families who want to ensure that their
children don’t see what they are as a curse, but a gift, one that
comes with great responsibility and one that can never be used in
anger.”

He shakes his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just amazed. You fought so hard against
everything medical in school and now, listening to you, you have
really embraced it and sound as if you love it.”

“I do. Back then, you’re right, it was in no
way what I wanted, but Andrew’s sister came into my life and showed
me that there was another way to help in the medical field and she
threw me a line when I really needed help.”

He mumbles to himself and his features
reflect a profound sadness. “Why couldn’t our pack be that
way?”

“I’m very sorry that your pack wasn’t there
for you when you were going through your mother’s death, but it
sounds as if you have found a home now.”

“It is better now.” His head whips around and
he stares at me, a look of horror overtaking his features. “Mia,
did you say Andrew’s sister?”

“Yes. Why?”

“They were converted together?”

“His whole family was converted, why?”

He grabs my hands. “Mia, families don’t get
converted. Vampires usually only attack one or maybe two, we have
only heard of David changing families.” Squeezing my hands tighter,
his eyes dart to the children. “Are you sure you know Andrew? Mia,
David’s coven is very clever, they have spent years lulling people
into complacency only to hunt them viciously later.” His grasp
tightens further and I cannot feel my hands.

“Jeff, it’s alright, let go, you’re hurting
me.”

Before I even realize what’s happening, Jacob
flies at Jeff, knocking him to the ground and is standing before me
protectively. “Mom, are you alright?”

“Honey, I’m fine.” Turning him, I hug him.
“Why did you do that?”

His features change from upset to confused as
Jeff rises, rubbing his head. “You said he was hurting you, I
knocked him off the log so that he couldn’t hurt you anymore.”

I’m stunned that he could even hear me.
“Jacob, it’s alright. Jeff was just caught off guard by something I
said and his hands mistakenly grabbed my wrists. It’s alright
Jacob. I’m fine. Nothing happened. He wasn’t trying to hurt
me.”

Turning to Jeff before I tell him to
apologize, Jacob’s voice is timid. “I’m very sorry for knocking you
over. I thought you were trying to hurt my mom, like that other
man.”

“It’s fine. I would have done the same thing
if I thought someone was hurting my family. You have quite a grip
and great hearing.”

“Are you sure you’re alright? I know that I’m
not supposed to do things like that, but I panicked. I don’t want
my mom hurt.”

Putting his hand on Jacob’s shoulder, Jeff’s
voice is reassuring. “I’m fine really and I didn’t mean to hurt
your mom, it was an accident. She is very lucky to have you as a
protector.”

“Jake why don’t you tell the others we will
head back in about ten minutes.” Walking away, he keeps glancing
back to make sure I’m alright. He is so much like his father at
such a young age.

Turning my attention back to Jeff, “I’m sorry
about that, so much has happened that he is afraid ...”

Jeff raises his hand. “You don’t have to
explain to me. I understand and really he didn’t hurt me, I was
just caught off guard. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but Mia how many
of Andrew’s family are here?” Concern for this matter resonates
strong in his tone.

“Jeff, Andrew was not created by David I
assure you. Andrew and his family’s story is unique and has nothing
to do with David or any of his creations. I saw what happened to
his family. I assure you there is nothing cynical or deceiving
about them. They are good people and all they want to do is
help.”

He sits there, his mouth agape. Finally he
pulls himself from whatever he is contemplating. “He was a vampire
when I saw him. You couldn’t have seen his creation.”

“I didn’t see it when it actually happened.
It’s a long story, but sometimes I can see histories or what
happened when I am around the area where it happened and have items
from the time period. On our honeymoon, Andrew brought me back to
his home, where his family was attacked and converted. I saw what
happened to them and despite how awful it was for them, they
emerged a good, strong family. They have no connection to David and
they are nothing like the vampires that you have described, I
assure you. If they were, I would have never let Nicholas and Kayla
come here, nor would I have fallen in love with him and had a
family with him.”

Jeff backs up on the log, his eyes showing
his absolute disbelief. “Are you telling me that Jacob and Nicole
are natural born vampires, Andrew didn’t sire them for you?”

“Yes, they are our children, not his
creation. They are not full vampires. They only have some vampire
features.”

“Is that really possible? I thought that was
all rumors and stories. We have heard about rare cases, but I
always thought that was a lie.”

“It is rare, but it’s not a lie.”

Composing himself and moving closer to me,
his tone returns somewhat to normal. “I’m sorry, it’s just that
since what happened I have tried to learn all I could about them
and now you’re turning everything that I have learned upside down.
Good vampires who don’t kill to feed. Who would have thought?”

I laugh. “You would be surprised at how many
I have come across since meeting Andrew and how much they really do
band together to help each other and to ensure the safety of those
who are in danger from other creatures of the surreal. Jeff please
you need to believe that everyone on this complex, whether witch or
vampire, is committed to the greater good and keeping their
families in the light. It sounds like what you have learned is very
one sided and I assure you that no one here is like that. Right
now, we are all afraid of what will happen to Nicholas and Kayla
when they transform and are committed to helping them through this
so that my family can be united again. I’m sure your father told
you what they went through and what Paul and Julianne went through
at David’s hands. All we want to do is help the children, including
Paul and Julianne deal with the repercussions from that awful event
and help them move on.”

“Grant did tell me what you did and how you
were just as concerned for my family as you were for your own. He
also told me how you turned yourself over to David to buy the
others more time to join together and come up with a plan of
attack. That’s why you have to allow us to help you with Nicholas
and Kayla. You helped save my family. Let my father and I help you
save yours. I know you haven’t seen me in a very long time and now
know what I am and you don’t know Grant that well, but we can help,
but you are going to have to trust us and believe me when I say
that Andrew can’t be there. The smell of a vampire when they
convert will make them violent. They will feel threatened and will
not recognize Andrew as their father. They will only smell the
danger from a vampire and will want to attack. You know they won’t
even recognize you as their mother, but where you are not a
vampire, they won’t see you as that type of threat.”

His words frighten me. “Will they always see
Andrew and their family as a threat because of what they are?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I know when we
convert, we do. However, that could also be because of our
experiences with them. Your children may not have the same reaction
to the smell of a vampire because they have been raised not to fear
vampires.” Something seems to occur to him. “Mia, I am not being
coy with you, it’s just that they have been raised different and
there are so many factors now to consider, especially because of
their most recent experience. Although they may not come to want to
attack vampires because of how they were raised, they have also
experienced terror because of David’s family that may play a
pivotal role in their first conversion. Are they powerful witches
as well or is that just you?”

“They have had powers since they were babies,
but we have always restricted their use because we wanted them to
grow up working for what they wanted and to grow as individuals
first.”

He sits contemplating. “This may also change
their conversion. Mia, when we saw the cabin with Andrew, he
refused to allow us to install a cage for them, are you committed
to that as well.”

I nod emphatically.

Despite his sigh, his voice is calm. “I can
understand why and I’m not trying to be unreasonable, as I told
Andrew, I agree that even if we were to put bars around the windows
and doors, against his wishes, he is right that the walls would
probably give way from the force exerted, but all of this is going
to make it essential that Grant and I keep them contained. We won’t
hurt them I promise, but we may do things that will upset you. Are
you committed to coming with us?”

“Yes I am. We can’t put them in a cage,
especially after what they have already experienced and I don’t
want them going through a conversion alone, they have already been
traumatized.”

His eyes turn understanding, but his tone
reflects his concern. “It would be more traumatic if they killed
you or someone in their family.”

“Will they really be that out of control that
they can’t be contained by you and Grant?”

“Young werewolves are extremely strong and
powerful. They are also very fast. Normally we have two on one and
the others are alert, but ours have grown up knowing and being
prepared for this. For those who have been bitten, we usually use
the cell when they first convert and have two standing guard. In
your case, I do understand why you don’t want to use the cage, but
you need to understand that we are already at a disadvantage where
your children have no knowledge of this, are not prepared, have
already undergone a traumatic event which will make their
conversion more unstable, their fear will contribute to heightening
their need to run, more importantly, we don’t know what their witch
powers are going to enhance or cause to interfere with their
conversion.”

My heart rate spikes with each word spoken as
anxiety creeps into every cell of my being. “Should we be searching
for others to help us or should I get them further away?”

“Normally I would say yes to both, but Mia,
this could be very dangerous where they have increased powers. I’m
concerned that things could get out of control like they did
causing your children to get bit in the first place if there are
too many wolves involved who are also unfamiliar with each other
and considering my men’s aversions, I do not even want to send for
them. They may react too aggressively. We are already concerned
when our own go through conversions, that’s why Grant refused Paul
when he begged to help. In fact, I wish I could convince you not to
come. You need to understand that their animal instincts will react
to your fear.”