Chapter Six - Return To Sanctuary And A New Puzzle
“Is she really doing better?” His voice sounds anxious.
“Anthony she is doing much better. We wouldn’t lie to you and then take you up here to be ambushed.”
I hear him sigh and catch his skeptical look. Christian moves close to him again and says something I cannot hear, but from Andrew’s look, I know he did.
Lingering near the bus, I can feel my trepidation. I know that Eva told the patients that when we had trouble those who were on the grounds made it appear as though I had been murdered, but still, knowing how much over the years some of them have put together and how long I haven’t been here or been practicing psychiatry, I hope that they do not have any questions. Andrew liens closer to me and whispers in my ear as Eva releases me. “Everything will be fine. Everyone up here loves you.”
Jackson chimes in. “He’s right. You have nothing to worry about.” He takes Alexander from me. “And how are you young man?”
Walking back to the residency, I can see lights sparkling in the windows and the courtyard decorated for the season, it takes my breath away. Entering, the children are already downstairs with Francis and Catherine decorating the tree. Jackson and Eva join them as Gabriel follows us upstairs so we can drop off our bags.
As I exit our bedroom I hear Gabriel asking Andrew why Anthony thinks he knows us and why he is so distrustful of us. “What did you detect and do you know what went on when he left here suddenly?” I inquire standing next to Andrew.
“Just now, he wanted to see Laurel because if she is well enough, he wants to move her and get her home. He is very concerned about her being here, especially now that you and Andrew are here. He sees you as a threat to her. Despite being comfortable and trusting Jeff and his pack, he is worried for them as well. He is concerned that we may have somehow duped them into complacency, waiting to set them up for something. He has warned Christian about this more than once and despite Christian’s reassurances, he seems to want to get his family off the land before trying to convince them again.”
I’m stunned by the amount of information that he got from Anthony in such a short period of time. “Do you know what happened when he was first up here?”
He hesitates and his eyes shift to Andrew but then quickly back to me. “Gabriel, don’t. You and I have known each other far too long and have been through too much to go back to this game. Please tell me what you know.”
Inhaling deeply, I can see concern in his eyes. “Mia, I don’t know what this means and honestly it doesn’t make any sense, but in the brief encounter that I had with him when he was here, he couldn’t take his mind off of you and Andrew, despite everything that was going on with his daughter and despite Renee trying to convince him otherwise.”
Andrew interjects. “Gabriel, you don’t have to stall, tell us what you know.”
“Images kept flashing though his mind of Mia falling deep into a fiery gorge with you jumping to the edge but missing your mark and tumbling in after her. Then a picture of him, as a young boy, clinging to some type of ancient pillar as the world shook around him and Mia yelling to him to get to safety seemed to be flashing through his head. He kept repeating to himself that you were gone and that this had to be some sort of deception to get hold of him again. Truthfully, the only reason he came up this evening with you was to observe and to get his family out. He was bracing for an ambush the minute he came through our gates and was shocked that it did not occur. I know he is wondering if it is because of Jeff’s men and because there is some bigger picture he is missing.”
“But how could he think we were from some ancient time. Are you sure that it was me and not just Andrew on some encounter you had somewhere.”
Gabriel nods. “It’s your face he sees. I only saw the back of Andrew’s head.”
“It makes no sense.” I mutter more to myself as Jacob comes through the door.
“It may not make any sense, but that is what he believes he saw a long time ago and mom, the person falling looked exactly like you.” Three stunned faces all turn to gape at him.
“How do you know this?” Gabriel seems to recover the ability to speak first.
“I saw flashes of it just before he stormed out of the house.”
I move closer to him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Everything started to move so quickly, none of it was making any sense and…” His voice reflects the worry and concern in his eyes.
“Jacob you know that you can tell us anything right?” I ask knowing that he probably didn’t tell us about what he saw because he has been so worried.
“I know, Julianne said the same thing.” Although I’m happy that he spoke to someone, I don’t want him hiding things from us thinking that we can’t help him because of other things that are going on. “Honey, I’m glad that you told someone, but next time, come to us too so that we are all on the same page.” His eyes shift to the ground and Andrew comes beside him.
“Jacob, we aren’t mad, so don’t worry, it’s just that we all need to work together, especially when there are things that are somewhat inexplicable.”
“I promise. I’ll come to you next time.” He relaxes and takes my hand. “Are you going to come down and help us decorate?” I nod and follow him down. Gabriel and Andrew stay in the room a few more minutes before he joins us and I see Gabriel slip out the door.
After completing the decorations, enjoying hot cocoa by the fire and the children telling their aunts and uncles all about the goings on they encountered while in New York, we finally get everyone to sleep. Now that I can move about our home, I have a nagging need to go see the nursery and have some quiet time. “Would you mind staying here with the children while I take a walk around? I won’t be long.”
Concern immediately flares in Andrew’s eyes. “Is something wrong?”
I smile hoping he’ll relax. “Everything’s fine. I just haven’t been home in so long, not really, and I would like to take a walk around, especially at this time of the year.
“You’re not leaving the courtyard area, are you?”
Despite there being no sign of William and the others since the attack, I know immediately what is flowing through his mind. “No, I just thought that I’d take a walk to the nursery.”
A smile plays on his lips before he kisses my forehead. “I understand. When you come back, maybe we could sit before the fire and enjoy some quality time.” He smiles widely and his eyes are alight with sincerity and love. I can’t believe how blessed I am after everything I have put him through, he still loves me so.
Stretching to kiss him, “I won’t be long.”
Stepping outside, the grounds are breathtaking as soft lights twinkle in the snow covered trees. The air is crisp and the newly falling snowflakes swirl around me like a hug from an old friend, welcoming me home. Walking down the path, the peace of my refuge is shattered by the hushed shouting of Anthony and Renee. They are behind the shrubs lining the psychiatric building and I can hear Anthony pleading with Renee to leave with him tonight.
“I’m telling you that you are wrong about whatever you believe they are doing. Dr. St. Cloud has done more for Laurel in a few days than all the doctors who have treated her over the years and the children here have come into her room since she regained consciousness, have made her feel welcome and as though she has somewhere that she belongs. She is comfortable here. This may be a good time for her to know everything and maybe this would be a good place to do it. She seems very comfortable and even happy here.”
“It has to be some kind of a trick. It is not possible that they survived. Renee, I told you what came for me after they were gone. If it wasn’t for Charles who turned me, I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t have survived. What if this is a trick, what if it somehow has come back for me or worse yet, Laurel?”
I move closer trying not to make a sound. “Anthony, I think that you’re wrong. Maybe it is only a coincidence that they look like t
hem. I have been here and I’m telling you that you would be absolutely astonished at what they have going here. I have met so many children from all walks of our realm and adults who genuinely care about each other and work together. I never thought I would see the day when wolves, witches and vampires weren’t trying to kill each other, but here, some are even married to each other. They have children together. I’m telling you that they are not to be feared. Please just think about it. You could harm Laurel more by taking her from this place. You know the one who was involved in the accident did not mean to cause her harm. He has been calling his aunt every day checking on Laurel. I’m telling you he is genuinely concerned for her and so are the people up here. His being involved in the accident, even though it was not his fault may be the best thing that could have happened to Laurel because I’m telling you, she has changed and for the better.”
“I have to admit that when they let me see her, she did seem happy and the color has returned to her cheeks.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m doing better. I know now though why Charles attacked, the hallucinogens caused such violent images to run through my head that I realize now he probably thought that we were trying to harm him and only attacked in defense of what he thought was going on. If it wasn’t for Christian and his men, I don’t think that I would be here right now. Not only did I try to hurt them, but they saved me from hurting myself.”
“This is what I’m talking about. They don’t really know us, yet look at how much help they are being. Anthony, please give it a few days for your daughter’s sake. I know that they are watching you afraid that something may flare but if it will make you feel better, I will stay with Laurel 24/7, no harm is going to come to her here, not from them. I know it, I can just feel it. I’ll go stay with her now and give you a chance to think on it.”
Ducking behind one of the trees as she renters the building, I decide that maybe, this would be a good time to approach Anthony so as he emerges, so do I. His eyes widen as he catches sight of me and he freezes instantly. Carefully and slowly, I approach him. “Anthony can we talk?”
Walking slowly towards him, he steps back when there is only ten feet between us. “I won’t let you attach to me again!” His anger is palpable.
“I’m not trying to do anything but talk to you. I would like to find out why you think my husband and I are trying to harm your family. Whoever or whatever you are confusing us with, I can assure you, we don’t want to hurt you.”
He takes another step back. “You’re lying. There is no other reason for you to appear to be..” He barrels over, grasps his abdomen, and begins to vomit. Moving closer, he forces his head up and holds his hand out. “Stay away from me.”
Moving away from him and into the psychiatric building, I grab a bottle of water and return outside. Moving toward him, his stomach is still contracting, but he is now suffering from dry heaves. “Anthony, I am just going to put this close to you. It’s a sealed bottle and then I will back away immediately.” He drags his head up once more and eyes me carefully, straining to keep his head raised. I put the bottle just in front of him and back away immediately. Picking it up, I see him examining the bottle. Opening it carefully, he cocks his head to one side with his ear at the cover. He listens as each of the plastic ties breaks and then quickly takes a sip. After a few more, he manages to straighten himself up and I can see his surprise that I have stayed stock still allowing the snow to fall upon my head and shoulders, immobile.
“Why are you doing this? I won’t let you control me again. Once I repelled you and sent you back, she told me I could keep you out of my head.” His hand moves to his chest and I can see him grasp something hidden under his clothing. His shoulders slump slightly as his body relaxes. Straightening out, his eyes turn cold. “I won’t let you take hold of me again. I don’t care who you shroud yourself in, I won’t let you hurt my family. I am much stronger now and have the most important reason in the world to defeat you.”
Knowing he means Laurel, I try to use this to connect with him. “I would never hurt you or your daughter.” His eyes widen and I know he is surprised that I am aware of his secret. “I know what it’s like to fear for your children and want to fight to keep them safe from harm, to protect them at any cost.”
His eyes soften, but then he shakes his head as if trying to rid himself of an errant thought. He mumbles to himself. “It’s not her. Don’t get confounded.” He inhales deeply. “I don’t know how you got hold of my connection to who you are pretending to be or how you got help, but just because you have connected with people here who have somehow convinced Renee that they are helping Laurel, it doesn’t mean that you will fool me.”
I can’t understand his antagonism or who he thinks we are, but I need to dispel this, for his sake and for Laurels. The snow is falling harder and his face appears ashen as he struggles to remain upright. “Anthony, I was just going to go to the nursery. Would you come with me out of the snow and talk just for a few minutes, please. I promise not to come near you.” He stares at me, I don’t know whether it is disbelief that I would have the gall to ask him to come with me or if he is considering what I am asking, so I try again. “Anthony, you have spent the last week with people who trust us, a man who knew me years ago and trusts me, trusts us enough to have his own children stay with us. Considering what a vulnerable state you were in, you have to realize that if we wanted to hurt you we would have done it then. No one has tried to hurt you or Laurel. You heard Renee, your daughter is better. Please all I’m asking is for you to come inside and enlighten me as to who you think I am and why you would think that I would want to hurt you.”
“You move and I’ll follow as long as you keep your distance.” The trepidation in his voice is obvious.
Moving slowly down the pathway, he follows at a distance. Entering the nursery, the warmth blankets me immediately, warming my cool skin as the sweet scent of the herbs fills my nostrils conjuring wonderful memories and healing my still guilt ravaged soul. Immediately pulling myself to the here and now, I move inside enough to give Anthony room to come in while maintaining a comfortable distance between us. Stepping inside, he does not move to a bench, but instead, remains near the door, supporting himself against it, with his hand remaining on the handle as his eyes quickly scan the room, probably to determine if we are alone.
As his gaze returns to me, I try to reason with him. I implore him to talk to me. “Would you tell me who you think that my husband and I are pretending to be?”
He continues staring at me as if weighing my inquiry. Suddenly, his voice is swimming in my head. “If they are pretending to be them, obviously they chose them to get into my head and know who they are. Maybe this isn’t a trick. Could it be a coincidence? Could she have somehow survived? No, if she survived, she would have moved heaven and earth to find you.” He shakes his head. “You know they couldn’t survive that disaster. You saw her fall, not even the wolf could have saved her. But he is a vampire, did one of them save him, but then how is she here. She isn’t one of us and she isn’t one of them. It has to be a trick. It has to be back, it said it would return and finish, maybe she was wrong and nothing can protect me.” He stares at me. “Yet it hasn’t moved against you, the wolves did help, and Christian and Jeff do claim to trust them.” He opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again, yet he remains mute.
Fighting through the shock of being able to hear his internal struggle, I try to gauge my voice. Despite his thoughts, I am no closer to learning who he thinks I am. “Please just talk to me. What harm could telling me do? You already don’t trust me and it is not as if telling me will give me any power over you or make you suddenly trust who I am.”
“Despite your claiming to be a doctor at Mercy and this Mia person, you and your husband bear a remarkable resemblance to Lucinda and Angelicus.” His tone is clipped and angry.
“Maybe we just have similar features. I have never had or used a name other than Mia.”
br /> He shakes his head. “Just because you are claiming a different name now, why would you cross my path looking like her and why would your supposed husband look like him. One of you having similar features, maybe, but you two haven’t changed for centuries and your features are identical. That isn’t possible, not for both of you. That’s why you have to be pretending, but you won’t confuse me and I won’t become complacent and allow you to attach to me again. I won’t do your bidding. I won’t hurt people again.”
“I don’t want you to hurt anyone.” I hold my hands palm up and make no movement toward him. “The men with us who saved you from Peter’s men did so to help you not so that someone would come and hurt you. The people you have encountered, the people up here, have dedicated their existences to helping those who don’t want to be impaired by the darkness. I know you have no reason to believe me, but I know what it is like to feel helpless, to feel as if the darkness is trying to grab hold of you and not let you go, my husband felt like that for centuries, and although I am not as old as he is and have only been familiar with this realm for a little over a decade, I have encountered the same feeling on a few occasions when demons have tried to grab hold of me.” I can feel the fear anew of the struggles that we have endured, the fear for my children when they were in danger and the thoughts of the darkness grabbing hold of him. As the images of this flash through my mind, his stare becomes more intense, he stumbles back and opens the door causing a burst of cold air to shoot through the small space between us. Quickly he rights himself, closes the door, and as his eyes once again meet mine, his thoughts become one with my own.
“What the h…was that? How did I see that? Is it possible it is getting into my head once again or are those visions real? Can it be? I don’t understand any of this.” His hands shoot up grasping his temples and then one moves to whatever is hanging around his neck.
I chance speaking to him, knowing what flashed through his mind as it echoes back through my own, but surprised that he could somehow connect to me. “What you saw was real, somewhat. The first image was more of a different realm experience, when the darkness tried to get hold of me through trickery, so I do understand how you feel, fearing that I am some sort of trick to control you.” His hand moves the handle and I wonder if he is about to bolt. I try to keep him inside as I sense someone approaching. Considering how long he has been out of sight it is probably a wolf trying to assure nothing is going on with him. “Please open the door slowly, one of the wolves is approaching probably looking for you.”
Opening the door, Jeff steps in. He eyes Anthony and then turns to me. “Is everything alright?” The concern in his voice is evident and I know that he fears because of our positioning, space, and my hands held forward, palms up that Anthony has cornered me here.
“Everything is fine, we were just talking. I thought that if we talked, maybe I could clear up any misconceptions he has of me and he would be willing to stay and allow Laurel to stay for a while to continue receiving help from Eva.”
He nods but makes no move to leave. “Jeff, it’s alright really, I was just trying to find out who Anthony thinks I am. I invited him in here because of the weather. You can go, we won’t be long.”
“Would you like me to wait outside and walk back with you?”
I shake my head. “I’m sure that everything will be fine here. Go and spend some time with Sarah, she’s missed you.”
He eyes us one more time before Anthony opens the door and he is gone.
I can see Anthony is still stunned at what he saw and quite frankly, I’m stunned that he could see it and how I am aware of this, but I need to stay focused on the misconception at hand. “Anthony, please who do you think I am pretending to be, who are Lucinda and Angelicus to you?”
“My…” As he says this, the door flies open, he is pushed off balance falling against a small apple tree as shadows quickly swirl around us creating a vortex. Plants are flying everywhere and I gasp as Jeff follows quickly inside, but cannot seem to get past the whirlwind. They move closer to Anthony who is still on the ground, struggling to get up and coughing as dirt catches in his open mouth. Not knowing what their intent is or how much power they have, I hurl myself at him, hoping to somehow get between him and the shadow who now has his talons outstretched toward Anthony. As I turn, I feel a strange sense that I have seen them before and that they are not just random shadows. I can’t believe that I realize the shadows resemble those around Ruth at the hospital. How can this be and how do I know this? Instinctively, I curve my body, throwing my hands out in front of me and instantly, the shadows are thrown back. My mouth drops open and Jeff jumps in front of me as the shadows come toward us again. Pushing him aside so that I can get to my feet and get in front of him, I thrust my hands out again and this time three are tossed as far as the rafters, but the other two somehow grab hold of my arms, lifting me off the ground. I try to free myself, shocked that they could even grab hold of me, I thought that wasn’t possible. Lifting me into the air, one of the ones I sent flying comes at me, pushes through me, swipes at my back before somehow thrusting me forward. Bashing into the nursery wall, I fall like a lead weight, slamming into the floor. Quickly, they descend upon Anthony, tossing Jeff aside and begin lifting him. Struggling, I scramble onto my hands and knees. They barely have him off the ground. I thrust my arms forward again, shocked that they drop him and are thrust through the nursery wall before disappearing. Quickly looking up for the other three, they are gone and all is quiet. Sitting back on my heels, I can see their stunned features which probably match my own. Jeff moves toward me.
“Are you alright?” I’m sore, but nod. As I rub my back, I feel wetness. I must have hit some watered plants when I hit the floor. Pushing off the ground, I try to rise, and Jeff helps me to my feet, but I hear him gasp. I turn about to ask him what’s wrong, but the door flies open again. Anthony, Jeff and I turn quickly, each ready for a return fight, but it’s Andrew who enters.
Assessing the mess, his tone reflects his concern. “What happened? Are you alright?” Walking toward me, his eyes never leave Anthony’s and I realize what he is thinking.
Grabbing his arm, both for support and so that he won’t do anything foolish, I implore him to look at me. “Andrew, it wasn’t him. We had visitors.” As the words leave my lips, his face whips toward mine.
“What type of visitors?”
“Shadows, the ones who were surrounding Ruth.”
His eyes register his shock. “How do you know?”
“I somehow recognized them.” My words are still a little breathless as he scoops me in his arms and looks at my back.
“Mia, you’re bleeding.”
“She was thrown against a wall” Jeff’s quick reply causes Andrew to turn with me in his arms, but again his eyes shoot over to Anthony.
“Andrew, it was the shadows. They lifted me and threw me.”
“How is that possible? They can’t do that? Mia, you’re not bleeding from hitting the wall, you have scratch marks on your back.”
I gasp. “They can and they did.” Anthony chimes in. “Are you alright?” His voice sounds genuinely concerned.
“He must have scratched me, but how?” I can see Andrew’s skepticism as I wriggle out of his arms and place my feet back on the floor. Pain lances through me, but I fight to ignore it. Supporting me with one hand, I can feel the other quickly sweeping my back to close the lacerations. As my eyes meet Anthony’s I can see genuine concern and try to seize the opportunity to speak with him. “I’m fine. Are you alright?”
“I’m unharmed thanks to you. Why would you step in front of me like that?”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt.” I can tell my response surprises him.
Andrew interrupts. “Do we know what they wanted?” Pausing a moment, I think about the timing of their arrival and then my eyes shoot back to Anthony. “Who do you think we are? Please you need to tell me.”
Without hesitation he replies. “You are dead ri
ngers for my dead parents.”
Andrew’s embrace turns rigid telling me that he is as shocked at this response as I am. Out of everything I expected him to say, this truly throws me. All sorts of thoughts permeate my medulla oblongata and I wonder if he is referring to my time in New York, but that could not be possible. I wasn’t there long enough to have an adult child and Cassandra told me that although Alex was real, he didn’t have a wife, nor does Andrew look anything like him. After what seems like an eternity, I finally find my ability to speak. “When did your parent’s die?”
“They died during the eruption at Pompeii.”
Andrew’s muscles tighten even more as my jaw involuntarily drops, feeling as if it hit the floor. Thankfully Jeff fills the silent chasm which blankets the nursery. “Anthony, neither one of them has been around that long. Maybe they have some similar features to your parents and considering the time span you got confused.” His voice doesn’t quite hold the conviction of his words.
Anthony shakes his head. “They don’t just look similar; they are identical, down to the flecks in his eyes. Believe me I have their images burned into my memory, especially considering, I watched as my mother peeled my fingers from her wrist to save me and how my father leapt in to try to save her. If they only looked similar, that would be one thing, if it was only one of them, but both, if it’s not a trick to get back in control of me, you explain it.” His voice is accusatory, but I can see the doubt flash in his eyes as they shift to me.
“I can’t but I can tell you that it’s not possible, Andrew hasn’t even been around that long.”
I shrug out of Andrew’s embrace, but immediately fall forward. Anthony steps forward and catches me. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. I must have just hurt my ankle.”
Andrew lifts me and takes me over to the bench. Removing my boot, my ankle is swelled. “We better take care of this.” He lifts me again and we all go outside. “Jeff can you let Gabriel know I need to see him about our visitors and ask him to have someone stay in our suite until we get there.”
“Sure. He and Anthony head in the direction of Laurel’s room, but I can see Anthony staring at my bloodied back and shaking his head as Andrew turns and moves toward the terminal building.
“Maybe we should go back to the suite, considering what just happened.” I mutter into his neck as I rest my head on his shoulder, really feeling the pain radiating through my extremities from the fall.
“No, I need to get an x-ray of your ankle and check you out. If they wanted to come at the rest of us, I’m sure that we would have heard something by now. Whatever business they had here seems to be attached to you or maybe you were correct in your assertion that they trying to stop Anthony from talking to you. Why though I’m not sure.” After a thorough examination, he begins to heal my ankle, raps it as a precaution and we head back toward our room.
Gabriel is sitting on the couch before his computer and raises his head as we enter. “It seems you had quite an interesting evening.”
“We have been having a lot of those.” I try to sound amused, but can feel the tension creeping back into all of us.
Andrew places me gently on the loveseat and sits beside me.
“Mia, how did you recognize the shadows? They are usually very non-descript. We have come across quite a few in our day and never would I be able to tell them apart.” As Gabriel says this, their images flash through my mind and he nods, probably seeing them as well.
“Do we know if there have been recorded cases of wolves who can see or detect like you?”
He shakes his head. “Although, if you ever said that the shadows would be able to physically lift someone and hurl them against a wall, I would have told you that was impossible too. Our understanding is that they are only able to exert energy toward someone at most, I tried to see if there were cases of what Jeff described to me and there haven’t been, at least not as far as Reginald has recorded.” For the first time, I notice the phone lying next to the computer.
He rises. “Mia, you look spent, maybe you should get some rest and we can hash this out in the morning. I know that Jeff said that he made Anthony go rest after checking on Laurel. I’m sure that everything will be fine here tonight. We’ll keep a watchful eye and Rachel and some of the others are working on some spells to cloak the grounds.
The length of the day is taking hold of me and I feel world weary. Andrew is already lifting me before Gabriel is even out the door. He whispers in my ear. “You need your rest. After helping me shower and change, I snuggle into his arms and drift into a restless sleep.
The air around me is heavy and the sky is dark, showing what at first I think is snow around me, but as my hand reaches for a flake, I realize it is not snow at all, but ash. For the first time, I feel the ground shake beneath my feet. As the realization of what is occurring finally touches my mind, I run toward a group of houses, their columns disintegrating before my eyes as the roofs collapse causing screams to echo in the wind. Pushing myself up as I stumble once again, I finally manage to stay upright as I reach the first pile of rubble. Climbing over it to get to my home, I see the crushed skull of Beth and can’t help but choke as I gasp, breathing in the heavy air around me. Knowing there is nothing I can do for her, I move quickly past, desperate to see if my house is still standing and the condition of my family. Finally, I see our home, it is under a cloud of dust, but only half of it has collapsed. Hoisting myself over the last of the rubble, I can see a young boy, hanging on to the front column as the ground around him opens up. Hurling myself forward, I reach the landing and grab his hand, pulling him forward. Embracing him for a second, I begin pulling us past the now opened sinkhole. Near the side of the house which is somehow still standing, I grasp his arms. “Where is your sister and father? Were they in the house?” He shakes his tear stained face. “Mary is with Rebecca and dad didn’t come home from the fields.” Hearing another roar of the volcano, the last of our home’s columns collapse as resounding screams are all around us. We have to move. We have to get to Mary. Rebecca’s house is about one-half mile away and if the lava flows…Can we get far enough away to high ground to survive. Pulling him behind me over the rubble, he freezes. Turning, there are two dead bodies below. “Look just at me, we have to move!”
Tearing his eyes from those below, he begins moving again. I hear my name. Scanning through the thick clouds of dust, Andrew is running wildly toward us. As we cross to him, the ground rumbles and shakes. There is no ground below my feet and I’m surprised that I have not fallen into the fiery gorge below. Anthony is holding on to the remnants of a column with one hand and is grasping my wrist with his other, but as reason returns to me, I see his hand slipping, I am going to drag him into the abyss. Grasping his hand, I begin peeling back his fingers from my wrist as Andrew is yelling to hold on. Anthony desperately tries to hold on, but as I pry some fingers free, his now sweaty palm slips over my fingers and it is gone. “Get to safe ground.”
In my room, Andrew’s arms are grasping mine as I meet his concerned eyes. “I’m sorry for shaking you, but you were having a nightmare.”
My heart is pounding out of control, pushing heated blood through my veins, I’m sweating and coughing and my throat feels dry as if it was actually breathing in the air I dreamed of. Andrew rises, returning with a glass which I drink down quickly. Sitting beside me, his voice is low. “What were you dreaming of?”
“I could see us at Pompeii with Anthony, but he was a young boy. Andrew I felt as if I was actually there, it’s so strange but I dreamt of it in detail. The detail and clarity reminded me of when I dreamt of …”
“What’s wrong?”
“We were searching for his sister, Mary.” Knowing that he did not mention a sister, but did say something about someone coming for Mary to Renee, I wonder if it is possible and if I am somehow seeing a past event like I did when I was in Italy all those years ago. Admittedly, I have seen history after that, but only a handful of times ha
ve I seen such detail. How is it possible? Why would this happen now? I shake my head wishing that I had answers. Could I be dreaming about this because I was close to him earlier and because I tried to protect him? Maybe I projected myself and Andrew into the dream because that is what Jacob and Gabriel said they saw, but then again, they would only see what Anthony sees, what if I can somehow break through his misperception to the truth, to see what the individuals really looked like.
“What are you thinking?” Andrew’s soft touch pulls me from my introspection.
“I just wish Anthony was up and that I could touch him. I wonder if I am projecting us into his dreams because he said that we looked like his parents and Gabriel and Jacob saw the images Anthony was projecting. Maybe if I dispel that thought and could touch him, I could see what his parents actually looked like.”
“Mia, I know that you anxious, but Jeff did tell him to rest and considering what happened to you today and what he has been dealing with, maybe we should do that in a few hours when he is awake.”
Rising, despite the night, my anxious heart tells me that I will not fall back to sleep. Moving amongst the children’s rooms, they are all sleeping with peaceful, contented looks playing upon their beautiful faces. Going into the kitchen, I prepare a cup of tea and when I turn around, Andrew gently stokes my cheek. “I smell the scent of a holly-berry fire downstairs maybe that will relax you.” Following him downstairs, we see Eva and Jackson cozy by the couch. They rise, but I motion for them to stay. “We were just retiring, enjoy the fire.” Jackson smirks as they ascend the stairs.
I haven’t been here in so long, I am about to sit, when I notice a beautiful picture of the lake and the new willow tree. Going over to stroke the canvass, I can see William before the lake sketching it as the children lay flowers in the water. My breath hitches as I see their saddened faces. Tears spring to my eyes. I caused them so much pain. Andrew gently wipes a tear from my cheek as he reaches for my hand to remove it from the canvas, probably realizing what I am seeing. Leading me to the couch, his tone is filled with understanding. “Don’t, they are truly happy now and we are blessed.” He pulls me into an embrace and gently kisses my temple. Closing my eyes, I try to wipe the vision from my mind, not wanting to cause him more concern or pain.
Trailing soft, gentle kisses from my temple, along my jawline, to the corner of my mouth, he claims my lips, kissing me passionately as he pulls me toward him. Soon we are lost in each other.
The next morning, the children wake early. After their breakfast, they serve the patients and then join the other children for a snowball fight. As they enjoy themselves, I go over to the psychiatric building in hopes of seeing some of the patients who were asking about me when they saw the children and in hopes of running into Anthony who is with Christian, visiting Laurel.
After speaking with John and William for several moments, I catch site of Anthony, Christian and Renee leaving Laurel’s room as Eva enters. Waiting for them to move closer, I excuse myself and walk over to them. “Anthony, could I talk to you for a moment downstairs?”
He stops short, opens his mouth to reply, but before anything is said, Renee gently strokes his arm and his features soften. “I guess so.” I can hear the uncertainty in his tone and am now nervous about how to voice my request, knowing that I cannot just reach out and touch him. He turns to Renee. “Why don’t you stay here and then you can stay with Laurel once Dr. Angelis comes out.” Hearing the worry in his tone, she immediately turns and heads to the chair just outside the doorway as he follows me downstairs.
Moving to a more remote corner of the room, hoping that no patients will come over and interrupt us, but not wanting to remove him from the building in fear of causing him more concern, I sit and begin speaking, deciding that maybe the best approach is to be honest with him, anything less, will only cause him to distrust us more.
“How are you feeling this morning?” He inquires, innate politeness taking over, but I can see the questioning in his eyes as to why he agreed to speak with me.
“I’m feeling fine. How are you and Laurel this morning?”
“She is doing very well.” I hear the edge in his voice.
“Anthony, please, you don’t have to be concerned, nor do you have to run with your daughter. No one here is trying to harm her or you. I know that you don’t believe me, but I’m sure that Renee has seen enough to reassure you that all we want to do is help her and I know you trust Christian and Jeff. They are not lying to you when they tell you that we only want to help.” His features waiver and I see his uncertainty. Hoping my actions last night have weakened his distrustful resolve, I push forward. “Anthony, I know that you don’t trust me, but I have no reason to harm you. I know how bad encounters with the dark forces can be and from the sounds of your discussion with Renee last night, it sounds as if some such encounter took someone very close to you. Was Mary your sister.”
His eyes widen immediately and his features freeze, telling me that I am correct. I must have been seeing a past event in my dreams. Now the only question that remains is what his parents really looked like. “Anthony, I know that this may sound very unusual, but sometimes, I am able to see things that people have experienced in their past when I touch them or touch an object close to them that relate to the past event.” His eye widen as his body turns rigid. “When I do this, I can see things that they may have missed or didn’t even realize they saw. I was wondering if you would let me touch your hand as you thought about your mother and father so that I could see what they looked like.” He is on his feet before the words even sink in.
“I knew it was a trick. How could I have been so stupid? Last night, I couldn’t help but doubt it, but now…He moves quickly past me, flying up the stairs. Before I even get to the top, I can hear the commotion from Laurel’s room. It was too soon to be honest with him. Why did I try? Now he is arguing with Eva to take Laurel out. What more could I do to cause my family trouble? As the door opens, I can see Jacob rising from the edge of Laurel’s bed, moving quickly between an arguing Laurel, Renee and Anthony. He appears hesitant and I know that he is afraid to leave in case Anthony loses control. I hesitate knowing that my entrance will only escalate the turmoil which Eva is trying to quell. Gabriel is coming down the hallway and as he comes toward me, I know what happened registers with him. He quickly moves past and whispers something to Jacob who retreats to just outside the room with me.
From the sounds of the argument, Laurel and Renee want to stay, but Anthony is becoming more unreasonable by the second. Jacob steps into the archway. “Sir, please your scaring Laurel, she’s been scared enough.”
Seven little words seem to stop him in his tracks and I watch as reason returns to his eyes and he moves to his daughter, embracing her. His shoulders slump as the tension dissipates and I hear him whisper. “I’m sorry”
Leaning back, her face is wrought with concern. “Anthony please, let mom and I stay, they are helping me and the children here are really nice. I want to stay, this is the first place I have felt good in a long time, the first place I have felt safe in since what happened with dad.”
Jacob hesitates, but moves forward slightly. “No one here wants to hurt your family. You have seen all of the children around here. All the families who live here and the patients my mom, dad and family take care of. Do you really think that this is all a lie to get to you? Why would you think that they want to hurt you? My parents have never wanted to hurt anyone. We know what it is like to get hurt and have bad things happen and we wouldn’t want to do that to anyone. Please, my mom didn’t mean to make you upset, she was only trying to help, get some answers, especially after what happened last night.”
I can’t help but gasp. He turns slightly and I can tell from his features that he saw what happened, but immediately redirects his attention back to Anthony, who is still holding on to Laurel as she continues pleading with him.
A cold set of hands on my back makes me jump. “What happened?”
/> “Oh Andrew, I tried to talk to Anthony he stormed off insisting that Renee and Laurel leave.”
“What is Jacob doing in there?”
“He was visiting with Laurel when Anthony burst through and he seems to be the only one that Anthony is not arguing with.”
Christian is now just outside the door.
Jacob’s voice is pleading. “Please I can’t tell you how bad I felt when I fell into Laurel and caused her to lose consciousness, but now, I’m glad that I did.” Jacob hesitates when he sees Anthony’s shocked expression. “I know that it is going to take her some time, but I can see that she is feeling better now. The other kids told me that she is talking to them and not just hiding and wishing she would disappear like in the other school. At least now, the images in her head aren’t always of the negative retorts and being treated so badly that she was falling into a hole that she couldn’t escape from.”
Anthony’s body whips around to Jacob, if Renee hadn’t stepped in, Laurel would have fallen. “What do you mean her images? Have you been in her head?” His panicked voice and his stepping toward Jacob causes Jacob to step back with his hands up as Gabriel jumps in front of him.
Laurel and Renee each grab at Anthony as a snarl rips up his throat. “Stop” Laurel screams.
Andrew is next to Gabriel as I enter the archway. Jacob inches his way around both of them. I am about to grab his arm, when he glances quickly at me and shakes his head. “I didn’t’ mean to see the images, it happened when I was pushed into her. I didn’t do anything to her. It’s more as if the images jump from her into my head, not my going into her head. I can’t really explain it, but I could see events that happened in her life that made her feel very badly about herself and …” He stops as Laurel gasps.
“Does that mean you can see what’s in my head now?” Her voice cracks and Jacob tentatively moves closer so that she can see him past Anthony.
He shakes his head. “It’s not like that. It’s hard to explain and I don’t really know how it works, but it doesn’t always happen and when the visions are over that’s it. But it only happened twice, first when I was knocked into you and then the first time I visited you and you shook my hand.” He is completely guileless in explaining to Laurel, even Anthony doesn’t interrupt and I can see him assessing the information. I’m surprised as Jacob moves closer to Laurel that Anthony does not stop him. He sits down on the chair once occupied by Renee so that he and Laurel are eye to eye. “I wasn’t trying to invade your privacy, but in some ways I’m really glad that it happened because otherwise you wouldn’t be here getting help and feeling better. I’m sorry for what happened to you, but Brian really does like you. He wants to help you and be your friend. He knows what they say and it doesn’t matter, especially when they are trying to drag you down. Don’t let them. You have to remember that you are strong. I know what happened in your life was really bad and you can’t wipe the visions of Charles coming after you, but you survived and he didn’t mean it. What that Peter and the others did to him made him act that way, not you, not your family. I’m sure that he loved you very much. Use the bad things that happened in your life that you survived to reassure you that you are strong, I do. Let my aunt help you, she is really good.” He smiles widely as she nods. “I’ll let you talk.”
He rises and turns to Anthony. “I know that you think the people here are trying to get into your head or do something bad, but the worst thing that you could do is to believe that because then you will give the darkness an opening to you. All the people here really do want to help and fight every day to stay in the light, especially my parents.”
Anthony’s features reflect his surprise at Jacob’s speech, but then he puts his hand on Jacob’s arm to stop him and Jacob turns. “Jacob, I’m sorry if I frightened you that was not my intention.”
After a moment, “It’s fine, you didn’t. I hope that you stay. Christmas here is really special and I know Laurel would enjoy it.” He moves past Anthony and comes next to me.
We leave, giving them some time to talk. When we are outside the building, Jacob looks up at me. “Mom, dad, could we talk a minute?”
“Sure honey, what’s wrong?”
“Is there somewhere private we can talk?”
“Why don’t we go to my office.” Andrew interjects, knowing that Jacob probably walked out of this building so that no one could hear what he has to say.
Sitting in Andrew’s office, Jacob turns to us. “I know why Anthony is so frightened. After he saw the fall and finally began moving, he began searching for his sister.” He shudders.
“What’s wrong?”
“So many people died.” He shudders again and as I hug him I grab Andrew’s hand and put it on Jacob’s arm, hoping that he can see what Jacob is seeing like the last time too.
The screams and roar of the volcano are deafening. I can feel the confusion, panic and desperation of Anthony as he calls out for Mary. Crawling over the rubble a hand grasps his leg from the cracks and he stumbles. “Help me please” a faint voice cries to him as he falls. Scrambling, he desperately pulls at the pile on top of her, finally freeing the small girl whose legs and arms are bleeding, but seems surrounded by a bright light. Grabbing her hand, he pulls her as she cries out for John and he cries out for Mary. They see a group of people running. Catching up, Anthony moves with purpose toward a woman, pulling the young girl behind him.
“Have you seen Mary, she was with Rebecca when this started?”
The woman shakes her head but points ahead of her. “Peter is up ahead. Maybe he has seen them.”
Anthony moves quickly to Peter. “Where’s Rebecca and Mary.” He shakes his head and then everything momentarily turns black. Anthony next wakes among a group of people lying on mountain top. Scrambling to his feet, some are still unconscious; others appear dazed and confused, while others are tending to their wounds. The little girl jumps back giving him room. “How did we get here?” She says nothing, but as the sun catches her eyes, I realize what she is and how he got there. She motions him to follow and leads him to a girl, unconscious and laying on the ground. Falling to his knees, he pulls her to his chest, holding her tightly, he begins to cry. Her eyes flutter open, but there is flame reflecting in them and I now see as her hands reach around his back, talons are growing. She is about to swipe at him, when the little girl grabs Anthony, wings spreading out behind her and she whisks him up as she yells out to some others. “The shadows are among them.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth, the sky darkens. At first I think it is the ash from the volcano eclipsing the sky, by as Anthony looks up, the sky is covered in shadows all moving quickly. He is screaming for Mary, but as she jumps up to him, her face contorts and she bolts with superhuman speed, jumping up and swiping at his chest. I feel the pain and for a moment cannot breathe, as he looks down, he is bleeding and I can feel the life force leaving him. The angel pulls him higher, wrapping a protective wing around him. As she does, the darkest of shadows turns fiery and his voice booms, cutting through the screaming below.
“You failed and now you will pay!” It is upon Mary whose cries of pain rips through Anthony more violently than her talons. He watches in horror as she is ripped apart, something dark escapes from her. As it turns into flames, it comes at him, a shadow, eyes fierce and talons out once more. It is upon Anthony and the angel, swiping at her wings and grasping at him. As the pain rips through him everything turns black.
Opening his eyes, I can smell the musty decay and can barely see as the flickering light from a single torch reveals a dank cave. “Don’t move. You need to regain your strength. A young man is washing his wounds. Anthony struggles to sit up, but the boy puts his hand on his shoulder. “Please don’t move, you haven’t quite healed, Charles bit you once and I don’t want to have to bite you again.
I hear his gasp and his eyes scan the cave wildly and then settle on the serene blue eyes that dance as the light reflects on them.
“Who are you? How did I end
up here? What happened?” His questions flow fast and furious. “Where’s Mary? What happened to her?” He struggles again to rise, but the boy places one hand on his shoulder and one on his forehead causing Anthony to immediately calm.
“I’m sorry, we could not get to her. Balance claimed her. We thought this time would be different…” He trails off letting out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get away from myself.
“Please, tell me what happened.” Anthony pleads, grabbing his hand.
“We thought those we saved were fine, but didn’t realize the shadows infiltrated. They were being masked, probably to get you.”
“Me, what are you talking about?”
Before he can answer, someone appears at his side, whispering in his ear. Where did they come from? Who else is in here? As Anthony’s eyes strain to see if anyone else is inside. The boy rises. “Excuse me a moment. Please don’t move while I’m gone. You are safe here.”
Suddenly the cave is filled with a blinding light and then they are gone. I can feel Anthony’s fear and confusion, but as the image of Mary being turned overwhelms him, he brings his hand to his face and I can hear the sobs. Everything turns to black. The next image flashes. The angel is back trying to comfort him.
“It is safe to go outside. Would you like some air?” Anthony nods and follows him through long tunnels until they step out into a clear twilight sky. As he scans the area, he can see buildings below and flickering lights.
“Where are we? This is not Pompeii.”
“We are in Greece.”
“What!” His boisterous voice cuts through the silent milieu.
“We needed to hide you, give you a chance to settle and adapt to your new powers and this new age.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Anthony, we needed to save you, maintain the balance, one of his was already here for so long. She was injured, you were so injured. We thought one of ours changed her because we felt the shift in immortality. When we realized we were being fooled and then she tore at you, there was no other way to repair you to remain on this plane than to turn you immortal. They should have never sent new ranks, but there was another fight going on and those closer to the originals could not break away.”
Anthony interrupts. “I don’t understand what are you rambling about?”
The moon rises and instantly Anthony falls to the ground, contorting violently, changing. As he transforms, fear overwhelms him and the boy once again becomes illuminated, piercing the night sky until his wings spread out like an elegant eagle shrouding them both, allowing them to fade into the darkness. As the sun rises and Anthony returns, the angel’s wings retract and he is the boy once more.
“What happened to me?”
The boy’s voice is soft, his tone reassuring. “You will be fine in time and I can grant you the gift of only converting when you want, but to save you, we had to turn you into a werewolf.” Anthony gasps as the blood rushes from his cheeks, leaving him pale.
He mutters to himself. “That can’t be. They don’t exist. The stories can’t be true.”
“They are true, but you should see it as gift, not a curse. You will see time and places that people can’t even imagine. You will be strong and help many, just like your father.”
Anthony’s eyes tear and I can see him staring at the city below. “You said a new age, what did you mean by that?”
“When we were in the cave, it wasn’t really a cave. It was a different dimension where time does not pass in the same manner as it does out here. You are looking out onto the Seventeenth Century.”
Anthony’s head whips around to the angel as his knees buckle. “I don’t understand.”
“Let me show you.” He raises his hands to Anthony’s temple and I can see flashing images bombarding his mind, but somehow calming it. When the angel removes his hands, Anthony’s jaw is locked in the down position for several moments before he snaps it shut and regains his ability to speak. “That’s amazing, but why me?”
The angel chuckles and a smile plays upon his lips, “Because of who you are and your ability to stay strong and good.”
The image is now replaced by a new one. Time has shifted and Anthony is standing on a cobble stone street, dressed in gentleman’s attire. He turns and smiles as he brings up the delicate hand of a woman dressed in a Nineteenth Century gown. “Are you ready?” He kisses her hand gently.
“I have been looking forward to this all month.” She raises her other hand, revealing a diamond before stroking his cheek.
The image shifts again and Anthony is now lying in bed next to the woman as a translucent image rises from her and moves to whisper in his ear before laying in his position, entering him, enshrouding him, becoming one with him. The shifting is quick now, image after image of Anthony tearing apart men, women and even two screaming children. I feel the horror, desolation and desperate need to stop the carnage as he looks on helpless as his body is doing things his mind tries but fails to repel, just like Daniela so many years ago. I feel his panic and Jacob’s panic at seeing the carnage, feel Anthony’s helplessness and desperation to gain some sort of control over what he is doing and somehow return to controlled person before this occurred.
Thankfully the image shifts again and he is walking with another wolf in grounds that appear to be some sort of temple or sanctuary. As they reach a pagoda, each turns back into human form. “The only way to free yourself of her is to destroy her, cast her out and send her to hell.”
“I can’t. Now that I know who she is, how can I fail my sister again? How can I send her to suffer? Isn’t there any other way?”
“No!” He shouts. “That is not your sister, not your true sister, I believe she is gone but look at what that vessel has influenced you to do. That is not you. You are strong, but if you do not send it back to its own kind now, you will join them. You will become theirs, always doing their bidding, always fighting to lead those away from the light. If you send it back, you can go back to saving lives, not taking them, unless you find you now enjoy the death and destruction from which we are giving you a temporary reprieve. Your time here is running out, we cannot protect you here any longer, once you return to the world you know, it will return and unless you defeat it, you will once again see yourself as an instrument of destruction.” He motions to a woman who comes over to them and opens her palm which contains a small amulet.
Her voice is melodic. “Cast it out, sever its connection to you on this plane now and close the door. If you do so, even if it returns, this will help protect you. If you don’t cut its tie to you now, you will participate in the carnage throughout eternity. They will claim you. You can’t let that happen. You don’t know what that will mean.”
“Enough” The gentleman commands. Handing him the amulet, she retreats. “Your sister died in Pompeii. You need to cast it out, send it back to them before they claim you.”
As the image fades, I open my eyes knowing that they reflect my astonishment over what Jacob got in such a short time. I can’t hide my worry that it might all be too much for him. My eyes meet his and although he appears concerned, I’m surprised that he doesn’t appear overwhelmed. “Jacob, are you alright?”
He nods, but says nothing, rises, and moves to the window staring at the now falling snow. Andrew and I rise, move closer to him, but as I move to go next to him, Andrew grabs my arm and motions for me to give him minute. He turns slightly. “Considering the clarity that Anthony remembers this and what he believes about you, is it possible that you really were there?”
“Jake, I’m not that old. Maybe we look similar to the people he remembers.”
“But dad, he seems to see things so clearly, remembering even small details and the woman falling really did look just like mom. Could it be that she was there but had her memory of this wiped like when Michael wiped her memory and she went away?”
The pain in his eyes as he says this rips through my heart. I move closer, hugging him. “Jacob, I
’m so sorry I left you.”
“Mom, don’t it’s alright, I understand. You did nothing wrong, I just brought it up because I’m wondering if maybe it happened to you and dad back then.”
Andrew interrupts. “Jacob, if something like that did happen, even if our memories were wiped of that event, we would remember living through the times following and although I’m ancient, I’m not that ancient.” He chuckles, probably trying to lighten my darkening mood. “Besides, Cassandra seems to imply that although it happens, it doesn’t happen often, not to mention we would have to be immortal back then to have lived until now. I remember every detail of when I turned and it was long after Pompeii.”
He stares at us, hesitating as if he is considering something. “Jacob what are you thinking?” I prompt gently.
“Dad says he remembers every detail of his conversion and Anthony seems to remember every detail of the horrific things he saw, so there has to be some explanation that we are missing.”
“But Jacob, it could be as simple as we look similar to the people he remembers. Considering the traumatic event that he has gone through with Charlie and then what we just saw he may just be confused and scared. Just think about how you felt after coming home and our problems with William started. I know that you were concerned that they could take you again and I know that at the new school you feel the need to protect your siblings from anything that could happen because you are the strongest.” Jacob’s eyes widen probably from surprise that Andrew knows exactly how he feels. “Anthony lives with the fear that he will lose control over himself again and that those he loves could be used in a way to trick him. We just need to give him some time to see us and not what he fears that we are. Maybe then, his picture of his parents will shift back to who they really were.”
He turns to me. “Mia, we can’t push him. Not now. It may be best if we back away from him. He trusts Jeff and I think Renee can convince him that Eva is helping Laurel. I see the change in the aura around her, it is less encumbered and this family needs to heal. If we back off, maybe he’ll allow Laurel to stay and get the help she needs.”
Despite wanting desperately to see if I could break through and see what Anthony’s parents really look like, I nod.
The next few days are fairly quiet. Despite Gabriel reading his continued suspicions regarding Andrew and I, Renee’s adamant pleas for him to look around and truly see what is happening and how Laurel is improving has at least forestalled his moving her. To my surprise, he even allows Jacob back into her room when she asks. Brian is doing much better and Stephanie is out of the woods. Ben and Claire are arriving this afternoon. Thankfully, the patients are wonderful regarding my return and do not asks questions, but from the looks I catch William giving me and the thoughts that Gabriel makes me aware are running through his head, he knows that much more is going on.
While I’m checking on Stephanie, the door opens and Ben steps in. “Is this a bad time?” He inquires, halting whoever is behind him at the archway.
“No, I was just finishing so I’ll let you enjoy your visit.”
He steps inside and a tall, dark haired woman with the greenest eyes I have ever seen steps in behind him. As her eyes meet mine, she gasps, but before I can say anything, Ben is shaking my hand. “It is good to see you again Dr. Angelis. How is Stephanie doing?”
Tearing my eyes from the woman, I turn to Ben. “It’s Mia, please. She is doing much better and if you stay a few days, she may even be able to travel home with you.”
Ben smiles and then turns. “I’m being rude, Mia, this is my wife, Claire.”
As I hold out my hand, she smiles widely and shakes it. “Ben said you were a witch, but he didn’t tell me that you are one of “the witches.” It’s an honor to meet you. I never thought that I would have the privilege of meeting you. Does this mean you will be contacting your followers?” Before I can answer, she turns to Ben and hits him on the shoulder. “Why wouldn’t you tell me that it was Saria, you know how obsessed we have been with all of the history. Why didn’t you tell Casey that she was here, she would have cancelled her trip immediately and come up here, she is going to be so mad when she finds out?” She turns to me. “Ben said that you are working in New York now. Will you be returning there or was that just temporary? Would it be possible for her to see you there or are you trying to keep a low profile? I mean it’s one thing to read about someone, but to actually meet them. Wow” Her tone is excited.
I interrupt. “Claire, I think that you have me mistaken with someone else. I’m not Saria, I’m Mia.”
She stares and shakes her head. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Is that the name you are using now? Are you hiding? Are you expecting trouble?” Her tone turns nervous.
“That is the name I always used. Like I said, you must have me confused with someone else.” Although as I say this, the way she stares at me and how exited she became when she thought she knew who I was makes me wonder if something is going on here, especially considering what Anthony thinks and what we have seen in his memories. “It’s been happening a lot lately.” I say hoping to lighten her concern. It works and she laughs.
“It’s so strange. You look just like her pictures. Let me try this again. Mia, I’m Claire, Ben’s very embarrassed wife. I have heard great things about you and this place.” She holds out her hand again, shaking mine, but even as she does, I can see her shaking off her earlier thoughts.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too. Stephanie has been telling me a lot about you too. I’m glad that you could come and enjoy the holiday with us. After you have a chance to visit, if you need anything to settle in, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
As I exit, Andrew is coming toward me. “How is Stephanie? Did I see Ben come in?”
“She is doing much better. Although I had the strangest encounter with Ben’s wife, she thought she knew me.”
Andrew’s eyes widen revealing his surprise, but his tone remains unchanged. “Who did she think you were?”
“She thought I was a witch by the name of Saria and from the way she looked at me, this witch is to be revered and maybe even feared. I told her she was mistaken, but I’m not so sure she believes me.”
“What makes you think that? Did you tell her she was mistaken?” We begin walking towards his office.
“I did, I even tried to make light of it because she seemed nervous, but she just kept shaking her head and inferred that I looked just like the witch she saw and she wondered if I was hiding.”
I feel his arm around me tense and know what is running through his mind. “Mia, did she say where she saw you?”
“No, she didn’t see me. She said I looked like the witch in the picture.” He stops dead in his tracks and begins to turn back to the room. I grab his arm.
“Maybe we should wait until they are done. I don’t want to make Stephanie uncomfortable. I know that she seems to trust us, but considering what happened with Anthony, his continued distrust of us and now another case of mistaken identity. I would hate to have suspicions running wild considering how many around us are trying to heal and deal with traumatic events. Has Gabriel gotten a read on how Stephanie and Brian are really doing considering she shot her son? I know it was an accident, but still, the repercussions from such an event I’m sure will stay with them.”
“He said that Brian is doing much better than Stephanie. She is still having horrific nightmares of his not making it.”
“Is there anything that we can do to help?”
“Eva has been trying to work with her and they are a strong and loving family, they will work through it. They just need some time. Why don’t we go help out in the recreation center and then we can see Ben and Claire once they settle into their room.”
Although our bodies are working at the recreation center, my mind is reeling wondering who this Saria is and if Claire could show me a picture of this witch. From Andrew’s features, it appears his mind is out on the same distant plane as my own. As my thou
ghts drift, I begin wondering what I could really derive from a picture even if it did look similar to me. Sometimes, people do look like distant relatives, maybe this Saria is some distant relative and I will learn another part of my history, the same way I discovered my relation to Emma. Inadvertently, I hit my head with my palm, why hadn’t I considered that with Anthony. Maybe I wasn’t projecting myself into his images at all; maybe the woman is some ancient relative. People look like their relatives all the time. I remember seeing a picture of my great, great grandfather. My father looks so much like him, you would swear it was my father, but for the style of dress and antique building he is standing before and I did look like Abigail but for the eyes. Andrew moves toward me.
Leaning into me, he whispers. “What just occurred to you?”
“I was thinking that maybe Anthony is right, he did see someone who looked just like me. Maybe he saw a very distant relative of mine.”
He opens his mouth, but then closes it again. “Mia, if that is the case, how would he think that he also saw me. He seemed pretty adamant that we were both there.”
Pulling him into the corner, “Do you remember how Emma told us that sometimes generations of souls cross paths until unresolved matters finally find some conclusion? I remember asking Emma back then if you could have fallen in love with me because of unresolved issues between Nicholas and Abigail.” He starts shaking his head. “Don’t, I’m not bringing up that old chestnut again, but think about this for a moment, what if your ancestors and mine have crossed in the past, what if there is some other issue that is unresolved that we are unaware of that has made our ancestors who others can mistake as being us cross paths before. I know it is highly unusual, but considering what we have seen happen and the strange happenings that our realm can sometimes bring, that could be a possibility.”
His sharp intake of breath tells me that although he is considering how he has crossed my ancestors before, he finds it highly skeptical. “Mia considering the union I came from, I highly doubt that. Even if they did have ancestors on this plane, how would I look like them? Besides, even if that is possible, I don’t think we will convince Anthony of it. Christian said that he was pacing all night and although he seemed to waiver for a while, by the time dawn broke, he was vowing to himself that he could not take any risks, especially considering that Laurel is now involved. I don’t think that we should try to broach that idea with him, at least not until we have more information.”
I nod, knowing that we could only make the situation more volatile. “Should we walk over to Ben and Claire’s room, I know the children are staying at Jeff’s until late, they were all watching a movie together.”
“Sure, let’s see what we can find out.”
Ben opens the door and I can see Claire on the telephone. “Is everything alright with Stephanie?” His eyes widen as he sees us both.
“She’s fine. We actually came here to talk with Claire if that is alright with you.” Claire must have heard Andrew’s reply because she hangs up the phone immediately and walks over to us.
“Claire, I was wondering if you and Ben might come downstairs for some coffee and maybe you could enlighten me about this Saria that you thought I was.” She looks to Ben who nods slightly and they follow us downstairs. As I get the coffee ready, Andrew lights a fire in the hearth.
Sitting down, I can feel the butterflies spreading their wings and fluttering anxiously wondering what they may reveal. “What would you like to know about her?” Claire inquires her eyes assessing me carefully.
“Anything that you are willing to share, maybe we should start with who she was.”
“From the research Casey and I found, she is a powerful witch born in Egypt. It was even rumored that she is the descendant of its powerful sun goddess, but we never seemed to get confirmation on that. But then considering how ancient she is, that isn’t surprising.”
I interrupt. “How ancient is she?”
“We found accounts which refer back to her as far back as the rule of Amenhotep. She formed a powerful coven and mastered control over the elements. Some even say that she could travel back and forth through dimensions touching the dead before they entered their final realm. Her powers seemed to know no bounds. All those who followed her were granted strength and victories in their battles, but those who fought against her or tried to destroy her soon found themselves trapped between dimensions in the netherworld. Some even say she could destroy souls. She is a powerful one that is to be revered, but also feared.”
Although I know witches can choose immortality, I don’t know why I couldn’t seem to comprehend that such a creature could still exist today, but I can barely get the question to my lips. “Where is this Saria now?”
“No one knows for sure. It is rumored that she went into hiding or that she hovers around the first dimension of the netherworld.”
Andrew interjects. “Why would a witch do something like that?”
“Saria and her coven joined with Sahir and his remaining men, a group of powerful warlocks who fought for justice and good, but their coven was practically decimated by the Reabin group, a coven which practiced very dark magic and killed all those who would not swear allegiance to their leader. It is believed that they were not only dark witches but had joined with some of those who Saria had banished to the netherworld. Reabin was somehow tied to demon forces that traveled through the dimensions of the netherworld. He and his demons collected the most powerful souls that Saria had banished and transported them back to this dimension in exchange for their pledge of revenge against Sahir, Saria, and all of their followers. As they returned, they too turned to powerful demons with powers unlike that known before, it is said they had the fires of hell within their fingertips.” She takes in a jagged breath as she shakes her head and I wonder if she is trying to rid herself of some awful image.
“Reabin, his men and the demons sought out and tortured several of Saria’s followers to find the location of the sanctuary she and her coven had secured in the heart of the desert and where she was caring for some of Sahir’s survivors. Although it is said that they did not speak the truth as to the location, the demons tortured them and were said to have extracted the true hiding place of the sanctuary from their blood before impaling them and riding back to the sacred place. Reabin rode at the head to show his strength. He came to the entrance, a horned demon carrying the head of Saria’s strongest witch to scare those who were held up in the sanctuary to turn over Sahir and his men. As the demons approached, they shot fire at the sanctuary, but as Sahir and Saria joined together, they combated the fire with that of their own. The desert was said to be consumed with the fire for three days covered in white and black smoke until the dust finally cleared. Little did Reabin’s men know that during such time, most of Sahir’s men and Saria’s coven escaped through portals and scattered to the four corners of the world in all different times. Sahir and Saria tried to escape, but before they could reach the last returning portal, one of the demons grabbed hold of Sahir and sent him to the netherworld. After that, Saria’s whereabouts became sketchy. Although there are reports that some of her coven did connect with her, she did not stay with them. Instead, she warned all those left standing to disburse and join with others that had no connection to her. Some say that she provided them protection and shielded them from being able to be found by the demons.”
I can’t believe how much she seems to know about this fight. “Did anyone see her after she appeared to her people?” Andrew inquires and I can hear the amazement in his voice as well.
“There were rumors that she had been seen by her brother shortly after to warn him to get out of Egypt. Although her brother was a warlock, he was not strong, and to protect him, she begged him to flee and said that she would stay away from him because Reabin’s men were actively searching for her. At the time she was carrying Sahir’s child and such a child would be very strong. Reabin wanted to find the child and destroy him before he came of age and could cause
Reabin trouble. After that, rumors began that Saria would travel between this plane and the netherworld to be near Sahir but those were never confirmed. There was also an attack on a group that had entered the portal together so they were much more easily traceable. They traveled to England and were said to be on a ship which was returning home. Demons followed them through the portal and attacked the ship.” She stops and hesitates.
“It is believed that Saria fought them and that even Sahir had appeared, somehow escaping from the beyond, they were successful at first in banishing the demons and protecting those on board, but then the strangest thing happened. The events shifted and the coven found themselves twice more caught in the loop. The third time they came back to the event, Sahir was destroyed and Saria and the unborn child were badly injured, but somehow got away with the protection of the four that escaped through the portal. After that, there have been scattered reports of her return, but the time shifts appear to be getting greater and greater.”
I can’t help but shake my head. Knowing a little about ancient history, most pictures of even those famous Egyptian deities were merely statutes carvings or drawings, “Claire, how could you believe that I was her? It isn’t as if you could have seen a picture of her and thought that it was me.”
She chuckles. “No, but I have seen carvings and your image…” Her eyes shift and she shakes her head before speaking again. “I was also privileged to see the image of her which has been transferred through the centuries to trusted witches so that when she reemerges as her coven hopes, those who continue on fighting in her name will once again fight alongside her or her son.”
Now I really don’t understand. How could they pass images of her? “Claire, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound dense, but how could they pass images of her, do you mean that there have been statutes or pictures of her statutes passed?”
She shakes her head again. “No, that could never pass on a realistic picture of her. There is an ancient spell that some of her coven utilized to share mind images. When Casey and I began delving into the history of this coven, we were introduced to one of her followers who shared the image.”
My jaw inadvertently drops. I don’t know why I’m surprised considering the images that Jacob, Andrew and I have shared lately, but still, this world keeps stunning me. She stares at me intensely and when I finally recover my ability to speak, my voice is barely a whisper. “Would it be possible for you to show me her image?”
Alarm immediately fills her eyes and I can see her jaw tighten. I’m about to tell her it’s fine and apologize for asking but Ben interjects, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I think considering what I have seen up here and what they have done for Stephanie you could show her.”
Her body becomes more rigid with each passing moment and I reach over to her. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have asked. I…” As my fingertips brush her arm and an image flashes through my mind but instantly dissipates as my hand recoils from the intense flames which feel as if they are engulfing me. As my eyes come back into focus, I see the utter fear in hers and she is rubbing the wrist I touched. “I’m sorry, I don’t know how… I didn’t mean to do that. I wasn’t trying to… Are you alright?” As I move toward her, she recoils and Andrew puts his hand on my shoulder.
“What happened?”
Turning to him, “I saw us throwing flames, the heat was so intense, so strong…I don’t…” Pulling in a jagged breath, I don’t know how to explain to him the strange image of us. There is no explanation for this, no reason for something like that and no way to describe the feeling of being burned alive, but not. How do I explain to him that I could see a strange version of us shooting fire, being engulfed, but not actually burning?
Pulling me into an embrace, I can hear Ben trying to comfort Claire, telling her it will be alright and she did nothing wrong and there couldn’t possibly be retribution for such a stolen thought. I am about to pull away from Andrew when I notice his eyes are unfocused. Giving him a minute before doing so, hoping that he is seeing what I saw, I carefully move in his embrace to face Ben, trying not to break contact.
“Ben, I didn’t mean to see that. I had every intention of telling Claire to forget about it. I’m sorry. I should have realized that something like that could have happened. I guess I was so engrossed, that I didn’t stop to think. What did you mean about retribution?”
Although my question is directed at Ben, Claire seems to regain her composure and answers. “There has been stories that those who shared Saria’s image with her enemies have had their powers stripped.”
“I am not her enemy. I assure you. I am no threat to her or you. I didn’t mean to take the image from you. Although I know how to concentrate and see past images, I wasn’t trying to do that to you and I have never done it without the person’s consent. This time, the image just appeared.”
Ben interjects. “Mia, it you don’t mind, I think that Claire and I will return to our room. We can talk about this later.” He rises and I can see now that Claire is fighting back tears. I move aside immediately to let them pass.
After they ascend the stairs, I turn to Andrew. “Do you think that she will be alright? Maybe I should call Emma and see if she knows anything about this and see if there is anything I can do to make it right. Andrew, I really wasn’t trying to take her image.”
Hearing the anxiety exuding from my tone, he embraces me. “Mia, calm down. I know you didn’t do anything intentionally. Before you call Emma, maybe we should give it time to settle with Ben and Claire. I think we have a much more pressing question to answer, don’t you?”
Knowing he means the issue of their images looking like us, but in a different time, like those images I saw so long ago, I nod. Taking in a deep breath to clear the images now running through my mind, I finally meet his concerned eyes. “None of this is making any sense. First Anthony thinks we were in Pompeii, now she mistakes me for someone in Egypt…Andrew, why didn’t she mistake you? The person standing next to me, holding my hand and exuding fire, looked exactly like you?”
“I don’t know. We need to find someone with answers and the only ones I know that could have them may have entered Hell because they are not answering their cell.”
“What about Celene, do you think that she might know any of the information that Reginald or Amanda knows, they did seem to be close.” He shakes his head. “What about the information on the key or on Reginald’s last key that he gave to me. Maybe there is something there about generations of souls continually crossing paths.”
“You still think that it is what Emma told you, don’t you?”
“It has to be. I appreciate what you said about the union that created you, but we know your mom was a human on this plane, she had descendants, maybe your father was too before he became an angel. How else do you explain all of this, my visions, their visions and what you saw just now? I know that we let it go all those years ago when Reginald said he knew nothing about it, but you said back then you thought that he was holding something back, maybe he was and maybe now it is time to figure out what that might be since everything seems to be colliding since my return. If there is some unresolved issue, don’t you think that we should try to figure out what it is and solve it before something unforeseen happens? Andrew, I don’t want to leave it for our children or future generations.” I can’t stop the shudder which runs deep into my core remembering what happened with the demons on the ship or the way the fire emblazing us in this vision felt and knowing from her story that demons and warlocks were just behind that fiery wall waiting for their opportunity to destroy those who looked like us. If this situation is following generations of those connected to Andrew and I, they will follow our children as well, I need this to be resolved now, before anything else happens to destroy us the way I saw one or both of us destroyed then.
Heading back to the residency, Andrew ascends the stairs to the attic and brings down both keys.
After several hours of searching through tremendous
amounts of data on both keys, only stopping to eat dinner with the children, Andrew looks up from his computer and beckons me over. He has come across a detailed account of Ricardo Miranda during a trip through Argentina in the Nineteenth Century. Mr. Miranda is warlock but claims to remember past life experiences in great detail. On two other occasions he has been part of the surreal plane as a vampire and a warlock, but in three other accounts Mr. Miranda was human. There is also a footnote which references an additional circumstance, but Mr. Miranda refuses to go into detail. All he would say is that he recalls superhuman strength, a horned crown, and red, blazing eyes, but could not define what he was. During his time in Argentina, Mr. Miranda had a near death experience which he claims somehow triggered visions of his former lives. Despite the detailed accounts of events and happenings during each time period which to me seem to be far more specific than any book which may reference such ancient history and Mr. Miranda’s belief that he was the one who was there during each time experiencing what he saw and felt, Reginald’s notes appear to be quite skeptical of the theory. Reading on, Reginald notes seem to indicate a theory based upon the belief that energy never disappears but only changes form. Reginald believes that the experiences which Mr. Miranda somehow described could be due to energy from events which his ancestors experienced. Although he tried to confer this theory to Mr. Miranda, Ricardo never backed down from the belief that it was he who experienced the happenings first hand and not some relative who may have had similar features to his own. Reginald’s notes set forth that Ricardo even made claims of remembering something which he could only describe as heaven, but still, Reginald appeared to be skeptical regarding the whole matter. Reading Reginald’s notes, I am surprised that he seems to dismiss the account so casually since he always appeared to seek knowledge and keep his mind open to any possibility, especially considering how strange this realm can sometimes be.
Although I want to search more through some of the remaining files, considering tomorrow is Christmas and we will be helping out, Andrew insists that I go and rest while he continues to look through the data.
Waking a few hours later and before the children, I see Andrew still reviewing the files, but he now has Alexander in his arms. Taking Alexander from him, “Did you find anything else about Mr. Miranda or his theories?”
He shakes his head. “I did find something interesting though. On several of the files, there appears to be a reference. Do you remember how Reginald told you that if he disappeared this key would lead us to others?” I nod. “Maybe the references in the files are to files held on other devices. Maybe Reginald came across someone else who claimed to have past life experiences or who projected themselves in visions of past events because their relatives appeared to hold similar features to their own. We know how much perceptions can color ones recollection of something. What if those who have such visions see people similar to themselves, but since they are more familiar with their own features sharpen the features with their own. Just think about how many times people say twins look so much alike you can’t tell them apart, but to a parent, they see different features that don’t make the twins indiscernible at all.”
“Do you think that is what I did with what I saw because Claire said that she thought I was this Saria and Anthony was so convinced that he saw us as well?”
“All I’m saying for sure is that it is possible. Honestly, thinking last night while reading this over and over again about what we saw before we got together, it could be something else, but I just don’t know. At this point, I am not willing to accept or dismiss anything.” He rises and wraps me in his embrace and his eyes fill with mischief. “The only thing I can say for sure Mrs. St. Cloud is that I love you and am so happy to be spending this Christmas with you and our family.” He gently strokes Alexander’s head. “Why don’t we put this aside for now, considering all of the new faces we have up here and the miracles we have been granted and ensure that everyone has a peaceful and enjoyable day.”
Although the day is pleasant and the children, patients and our guests appear to be having a wonderful Christmas, even stopping to enjoy a snowball fight out in the courtyard, I can’t reel in my thoughts, especially when I catch Anthony and Claire staring at me as if they are trying to pull the truth from my brain. I want to approach Claire and ask her why she did not seem to hold the same mistaken identity recognition with Andrew, but considering that we are surrounded by others and I don’t want Anthony to become more skittish and pull Laurel from here, especially after Eva says that she is making strides and is very happy here, I refrain.
Exhausted from the long day, the children retire and although Andrew suggests that we do the same, I know that Claire will still be up and want to talk with her. “Andrew, I’ll be back shortly, I need to approach Claire.” I see the skepticism in his eyes and although he opens his mouth to object, he closes it quickly.
“Let me get Gabriel and we can go together, but Mia, if Anthony is anywhere near them you can’t open this up. Gabriel was reading him today and although what you did for him in the nursery shocked him after what you asked, he is still fearful that we are some sort of deception and that he will be overcome again. We can’t risk Laurel’s health.”
As luck would have it Ben and Claire are both downstairs talking with Brian who when he sees us, excuses himself probably knowing that we want to talk. “Would you mind if we join you?” Andrew asks. When they gesture, we sit on the couch opposite them. Not knowing whether they really think that I stole the memory from Claire, I allow Andrew to take the lead. “Ben, Claire, I know that you are concerned about what happened, but I assure you that it was unintentional. I’m sure that you realize sometimes our powers are uncontrollable and things just occur. Mia would never try to hurt you or steal anything from you. That is not how our family operates. I’m hopeful that you have been able to discern that about us and that maybe you would be willing to answer some of our questions.”
Ben looks to Claire knowing that Andrew is really addressing his plea to her and nods. “What do you want to know?” Claire inquires looking at me, but I can hear the trepidation in her voice.
Leaning forward, “I was curious as to why you seemed to believe that I was Saria, but didn’t seem to say anything to Andrew about Sahir?”
From the change in her facial features, I can tell that this was not an inquiry she expected. “I have never seen Sahir.”
Now it is my turn to be shocked. “I don’t understand. The man that was next to Saria, wasn’t that Sahir?”
Her mouth drops and she stares at me. “Claire what’s wrong?” Ben inquires several times before she seems to shake herself from her immobility to respond. Finally turning to him, her voice is barely a whisper.
“I knew there was someone standing next to Saria in the vision, but I couldn’t see him. His appearance has always been blocked. Witches can only pass on pictures of Saria, not Sahir. I just can’t believe that she could break through the distortion to see him.” She turns to me, her eyes wide and assessing.
“Claire, I don’t understand, when you see that image, do you see anything of Sahir?”
“I can see a figure standing next to her, but his features have always been distorted, whited out. When I look at him, I can see his figure, but whenever I have tried to see his face it is like someone is shining a powerful flashlight in my eyes. How could you see him? I don’t understand, I was told that only those who were there could see him, none of the witches who have had the image passed to them have ever been able to see him? What are you?”
“Claire, I don’t know what to say other than maybe I could see him because of my ability to see past events, but I assure you , that, that was not even my intention when I touched you. It truly just happened. I never meant to cause you concern and I don’t want to harm anyone. I assure you that from what you have told me about Saria, she wanted to fight against the darkness. I am not an enemy of her or anyone who wants to combat that. Believe me. I have seen enough of
the dark forces to never want to assist them in any way. I only want to help the way we help the people here. I’m sure that you can see that this facility is a place where all of our kind work together.”
“I will say that when Ben told me about this place, I didn’t believe it, but over the past few days, it has really shocked me, despite our bizarre encounter.”
“Claire, can I ask, did anyone ever share any other images of her with you?”
From the way she shifts in her seat, I know that they have and that she is nervous about answering. “Claire, please, there are so many unanswered questions. I am sure that you have spoken to Ben and know what Anthony thinks of us, but there seems to be something here, some question that needs to be answered and if you have another image, I am begging you to share it with me. I am hoping that you would do the image sharing spell with me because I would like to see if Saria’s image changes at all if I go into it with an open mind instead of expecting to see myself.”
I can tell by the shocked faces surrounding me that this was not what anyone, including Andrew expected. “Mia do you really think that this is a good idea? You don’t know what type of ramifications such a spell would have. Maybe you should call Emma first and see if she has ever heard of this image sharing and what it could cause.”
Turning to him, “Andrew, look, we have questions, considering what Emma has told us in the past about generations crossing paths and how we already know that you have crossed paths with my ancestors, maybe we are now projecting our likenesses in situations we are mistaken for because that is what we expect to see and our ancestors have some similar features, but maybe this spell would cut through those perceptions, especially if I go into it thinking it is more of that.
Claire rises. “If you’ll excuse me a moment” I watch as she ascends the stairs to her room and when Ben rises, she gestures for him to stay. We stare at each other and I can see the questions raging in his eyes, but at least it appears to be curiosity and not fear that we are trying to do something to his wife. Counting slowly to three hundred ten, trying to calm my raging thoughts and not to appear anxious, she finally reemerges and I can tell by her features that although she is concerned, she is going to capitulate to my request. I sit back, my shoulders hunching in relaxation as Andrew turns to me. I nod infinitesimally as she whispers something to Ben which I am sure that Andrew can hear.
Looking over to us, “When do you want to do this?”
“Can we do it now?”
“We might as well get it over with, but I suggest that we do it somewhere private. I would hate to have a patient see us.”
Rising, “We could go over to the residency, there is only family there.”
She rises, but does not move. “Mia, is there somewhere else. I would rather do this with as little people around as possible. I understand that you said it just happened and everyone here seems fine, but considering we don’t know you that well and the repercussions that arise if it is deemed that I have somehow alerted an enemy, I would rather do this in private.”
“Of course. We could go to the nursery.” I move forward, but Andrew puts his hand upon my shoulder.
“Mia, considering what happened the last time you were in the nursery, maybe you should go over to Catherine’s office. I’m sure that there isn’t anyone there.” Moving swiftly, we enter her office and Claire immediately sits on the floor and I follow suit.
She looks up at Andrew. “I need three candles.” He disappears and returns with a plate with three candles on it and hands her a lighter. I sit stalk still as she lights the wicks, closes her eyes and begins chanting. Staring at her, I await instructions. After what feels like an eternity, I see the candles flare and she puts out her hands, palms up and I lay my hands on top gently before closing my eyes. As soon as I do, I can see the desert before me, feel the intensity of the heat pounding upon my back, but cannot see my face. I am traveling toward the sand and then suddenly just drop out of sight. Moving toward a figure, which is at first obscured by a bright light, a man with sandy hair raises his face toward me and I can see it looks just like Andrew. As I gasp, I hear Claire gasp as well. Gently grabbing her wrists for fear that she may break contact, I am grateful that she does not pull away. Hearing the thunderous roar of hoof pads, I see the woman turn and I am staring at myself, a strange reflection of who I am, but not quite. My hair is even longer than it is now, my face tanned with worry lines boring deep into my features. My eyes are bright, but filled with concern. Turning back to the man, I can hear my voice, but with a foreign accent telling him to stay put. Running down a tunnel, I find myself standing in the desert, the sun is blaring as dark shadows, men, and creatures which I have never before seen are on camels holding large stakes with heads. I can feel the bile rise within me and fight to hold it down. I cannot afford to break the connection considering Claire may never give me another chance. I feel someone behind me and for the first time realize that Andrew is injured and he is now standing amongst a sea of faces which I do not recognize.
A woman behind me shouts. “They impaled Jarir” She falls to her knees and vomits violently as another woman pleads with her to rise, stay strong, and work together before that is all our fates. I can hear the panic in their voices as they watch the horror before them. As the leader gets closer, he shoots one arm forward and a flash of fire is upon me. Throwing my own hand forward, I can’t believe I deflect it. Too afraid to turn my back on the approaching nightmare, I yell to those behind me. “Get back inside and use the portals, take out the wounded and do not return.” Throwing out both my hands, I partially turn my upper body. “Sahir, you need to go too. You are wounded. I will hold them off and then join you at the basin.”
“You can’t hold them off alone. We will do this together and give the others time to go.” Grabbing my hand and holding his side where the wound is bleeding once more, he begins turning and we are soon building a wall of fire surrounding us and the entrance.
A young man stands at the entrance, holding his hands out and there appears to be a white transparent wall building before him, humming with electricity. Sahir yells to him. “You need to leave with the others.”
The boy’s soft spoken voice is unafraid. “I have told the others to begin the evacuation but it will take time, if too many of us travel at once, Reabin will be able to follow our energy and we will never escape his tracking abilities. I told them to travel three at a time so that one can return with the portal each time. Let me build the energy field at the door to protect them and then one around you. Then I will leave. You need help.” As he says this, I feel the intense heat hit my side and can feel the burn. The boy quickly flicks his wrist calling up the sand which turns to water as it hits my side, extinguishing the fire. Sahir removes his hand from his side and it is no longer bleeding and brings it to mine. I can feel the energy pass through me and I no longer feel the intense pain. The vision shifts, I see the earlier vision with us fighting against the oncoming demons, but I can feel the power draining from me and Sahir appears to be struggling to stay upright. To my horror, this is the first time I see his clothes stained with blood. As Reabin jumps through the fire, he hits Sahir and they are gone.
I am no longer in the desert, but am instead floating through gray hues and I am holding someone’s hand. Looking down, I see a young boy with sandy hair, but as I stare, he almost appears semi-transparent. His voice is low as if not to disturb the silence of where we are. “Is it much further until we reach father?”
Gripping him tighter to me, I can see tears veiling his widened eyes. “No, he is never too far from the entrance.” Scanning the area for him, I realize the gray hues are not a mist, but souls floating around us. As my mind’s fog dissipates, the vision before me clears and my senses register the environment surrounding us. As some souls pass us, I can see their faces taut with angst and suffering. From these souls, I feel cold, but as we pass others, I feel warmth and love. A moment later, we are entrenched in the warmth of a brilliant ligh
t just as Andrew comes into view. With each step, his soul takes on a more corporeal nature. As our hands meet, the boy and I are now flesh as well. A sudden gasp from beside me causes the image to shift again and I see an all too familiar sight. I can’t understand why, but I am being carried through the water by the man who rescued me from the vision of the ship which was attacked and left me a widow before everything turns black and Claire breaks contact.
Opening my eyes, I see Ben shaking a shocked Claire, his voice filled with worry. “Is everything alright, Claire speak to me please.”
She slowly turns, opens her mouth, but no words come out.
Andrew’s soft voice tries to convince Ben to give her a moment. I notice for the first time that his hand is on my back and wonder whether he was able to see what I did. Knowing it is best to wait until we are alone to ask, I instead focus on Claire.
Finally, as Ben pleads with her again, she responds, her voice barely a whisper. “She’s right, the man does look like Andrew and I saw the boy, but Saria was also pregnant with another.” She turns to me. “How were you able to share the images back with me? They have never bounced back like that and how were you able to show me Sahir and the boy. My daughter saw the boy, but he was blocked from me. Mia, were you chanting too because I did not hear you?”
“No. I don’t know how it bounced back to you, I only held on to you and I have never been able to bounce back an image, nor have I ever practiced that spell.”
“I don’t understand any of this. What type of place is this?” She mutters under her breath and turns back to Ben. “She is right about one thing Sahir looks exactly like Andrew except with longer hair and the boy has his eyes with a hint of hers.”
Looking down, the candles are no more. All that is left is a small drop of liquid wax. Looking at the clock behind Claire, only two minutes have passed. “Who removed the candles?” My eyes flash between Ben and Andrew, but both shake their heads.
“Mia, the candles are used to create a dimensional type vortex to absorb the energy of the image, that is why we use three and they disappear after the image is shown. As I told you, the image of Saria is not to be shared lightly and the image of the boy is mostly protected, only those who were there and special ones have been chosen to see him that is why I am shocked that his image was revealed to me. Although my daughter was given the privilege, I was not.” Surprisingly, she lets out a sigh of relief.
“What just occurred to you?” Ben puts his hand on her shoulder.
“Maybe it is a sign to alleviate my fears about Mia seeing the image earlier.” She throws her arms around Ben and he falls backwards. Her relief is evident and her features lighten. They rise and so do we.
“Claire, thank you for sharing those images with me.”
“I hope it was helpful.” She notes before walking out with Ben.
Hearing the door shut down stairs, Andrew turns to me. “Those were some remarkable images. I felt you tense as the one where you were being carried through the water appeared, why?”
“Do you remember my telling you of the vision where I saw us on a ship and that it was attacked? That is the man that I saw carrying me to shore. It is the same image. I don’t understand, I expected to see people who looked similar to us and in some ways they do, but in our features they are exactly like those that I saw in the past. How could that be? Is it possible that we somehow shifted through…” I can’t even finish the thought. Something that fantastic cannot be possible. Despite what we have seen and read, no one can shift through time and if they did, how could their facial features be identical to that of the present day? It has to be impossible, Andrew was not immortal back then and I wasn’t even alive. If we were, we would remember running through the time periods. Wouldn’t we? I know what just happened to me caused me to forget, but Cassandra said it happened very rarely. “Andrew, is it possible that what I experienced with Michael has happened to us before?”
“Mia, I don’t know how to answer that. I want to say no because what happened to you now served as a sacrifice to right a wrong, but seeing us there...I mean seeing them there…actually, I don’t know who I saw there, but those images and the ones that Anthony sees, I’m not sure what to believe.” As he says this, I hear something in his voice, something he is holding back.
“Andrew what aren’t you telling me?”
“The boy who was with …who was in the second image, when I looked at him, I felt the same weird sense of familiarity that I had when I was in the school checking on Scott.”
As my eyes shoot back to his, I can see him shaking his head, not knowing what to make of this. “How is that possible and what could that mean? I don’t understand any of this.” I can’t help the shudder that runs through me as I fear this is the start of a new inexplicable challenge with terrible unforeseen consequences.
Pulling me into an embrace, he rubs my back and his voice turns soothing. “Mia, it’s alright. I know that we don’t have the answers, but other than the encounter with the shadows, nothing bad has happened and they did not come this time when you were connecting with Claire, so I think that it would be best if we stay calm regarding this. We will get answers. We just need to be patient. In the meantime, why don’t we go back to the residency? I will call Jason and see if he ever came across anything in his studies of the ancient writings that may be of some help to us.”
Making a cup of tea, I hear Andrew on the phone talking to Jason, but before I can join him, there is a knock on the door. Opening it, I’m surprised to see Claire and Ben. Moving in to let them in, Andrew goes into the other room. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes” Claire is breathless. “I spoke to Casey and told her what happened. She believes that she has a message for you…: Her voice becomes shaky. “Not a message, images which can be passed on to only you. I know that you are planning on returning to New York tomorrow. Would it be possible for her to meet you at your home?”
“That will be fine, but why does she think she has a message for me?”
Ben moves Claire to the couch and I sit across from them, but it is hard to concentrate on what she is saying as I hear Andrew’s surprised response to something Jason must have told him. “Are you sure? Can you contact your friend and ask him to do some more digging?”
Tearing my concentration from his now hushed conversation and returning to Claire, I can see that she is anxious. “When I told Casey what happened she told me that when she saw the boy, she did not only see one image, she was given a gift of seeing him grow into a man.” I can hear the shock in her voice and wonder if it is from the image or that her daughter may have kept this from her. “Since she was in college at the time, she continued studying on with the one who shared the images, but I needed to return to my job and my family. When I told her about seeing the boy and Sahir, she became very excited and started screaming to her husband that it had finally happened. When she finally calmed down, she told me that she had to meet you, pass on the image because Castore told her that I would come across the one who would finally reveal his image and that when I did she would be called upon to share with that one the key to Saria’s son on this plane. She said that when the son was finally revealed Saria could be reunited with him on this plane and those in her coven who survived and those who are guardians of the image would in turn be rewarded with increased power and strength to come out of hiding and fight those who are trying to still claim this plane.”
“Claire I wasn’t lying to you when I told you that I am not Saria. I am not even a very good witch. I don’t know how I bounced the image back to you, I have only…” I pause momentarily debating whether to tell her that I have shared images with Andrew, but then again, considering what she was afraid of in revealing Saria to me, I don’t want her daughter to lose her powers under some mistaken belief that I am this person. They seem to embrace their powers even more so than those up here who are dealing with the surreal every day. “Claire, I don’t know exactly how I shared the image back to
you, but I don’t think that I am the one your daughter was meant to share the image with. I have been able to show Andrew and a man up here images before.” For some reason, I don’t want her to know about Jacob seeing and sharing images, despite her and Ben being good people. “Claire considering how worried you were, I think it may be best that your daughter refrain from meeting me and showing me the boy. I am not Saria and I’m sure that I can’t reunite them”
“Mia…” She rises, but then sits immediately and drops her voice. “You are the one who unlocked the image, it has to be you, you have to…” Ben places his hand on her shoulder and she stops. “Mia, please consider meeting her. Saria’s coven has been hiding in the shadows for centuries only picking a few people every fifty years to share the image to ensure that when the time is right, her coven can finally emerge. You can’t deny them that. Please from what we learned, they have been waiting for so long to complete their mission, to serve their purpose and forever ban Reabin and his men from interfering with their lives and those on this plane. You say you and your family fight the darkness and coming here, I believe you, but why would you refuse to help those who have waited so long to come out of the shadows and into the light.”
I shake my head. “It’s not that I don’t want to help them, but I’m afraid that I’ll do you more harm than good. Maybe your misconception of who I am…who you thought I was is coloring your judgment and if that somehow influenced what you said to your daughter, I don’t want to be the cause of her losing her powers.”
She reaches across and grabs my hand. “Mia, please, Casey said that it was imperative that she carry out her assignment and help Saria’s followers, they have suffered over the centuries as Reabin’s men reemerge and pick them off, you could make that right. You could reunite Saria and her son.”
“Claire, I could do you more harm than good. I don’t think that I am the one meant for those visions.”
“Mia, that may not be entirely true.” Andrew emerges from the room and all eyes are now glued to him, following him until he comes to rest next to me.
“What did you learn from Jason?” I squeak.
“You remember the story I told you of my father?” I nod. “If this Saria and Lucinda are somehow connected and have attached themselves to you similar to the way guardian angels attach themselves to someone, Jason said that he did come across some scrolls that talk about instances where people who are connected to them may see you more as the one who is attached to you.”
“But how does that explain what we saw?”
“Mia you need to remember that we are seeing their images, their perceptions, maybe you are not seeing the historical event as it happened but the historical event clouded by their perception and colored by the one who is attached to you.
“How did Jason learn about this? What else does he know?”
“Gabriel contacted him after the incident with Anthony; that is why he isn’t here right now. He began researching the issue that night.” He turns to me and picks up my hand. “I don’t want you to panic, but he said that you may be correct in assuming that there is some unfinished business, some event that needs to play out. They may be attaching themselves to you and I now because the people who have information, who have knowledge of who they were are emerging in one area, but they need to connect in order to start the event. They may not even have attached themselves to you and I that long ago, it may be as recent as our first contact with Anthony and Claire. We may be the first opportunity they have because of some convergence of energy and individuals to rectify unfinished business. ”
I can feel the panic seizing my heart as I remember the unfolding events the last time we faced unresolved issues. What if this time the unresolved issues involve our children having to enter another realm to finally put whatever this newest conundrum is to rest? What if this boy or what Anthony fears somehow entangles themselves with us?
“Mia, you need to calm down, nothing has happened. This is only one possibility. Maybe it is that this Saria and Lucinda are somehow connected and when Anthony and Claire crossed our path, they attached to us because of who we are. We could simply be acting as messengers or conduits for them to gather their parties together.”
“But then what makes you think we are descendants and how would they attach to both of us to make this happen?”
“You know if you trace back far enough you can find some connection probably with anyone. Jason said that it is easier to manipulate the image if they are working with descendants when changing the image in the one who is seeing it in their mind. They need someone with similar features so that the altering is easy. Mia, please your heart rate has spiked, take in a few deep breaths and calm down. This may be as easy as finding Saria’s son and allowing her to pass some image or instruction to him and have them unite that way.”
Although his tone is calming, I detect the traces of anxiety in his voice. Knowing that nothing can be that easy, but realizing who is around us and how without more information panic will only cause mistakes, I close my eyes and force my heart rate to slow.
After agreeing to at least meet with Casey, Claire leaves relieved. They will meet us at the house early tomorrow evening and then return here a few days later to take home Stephanie and Ben. Eva wanted to work a few more days with Stephanie before she has to return to the agency.
“Did Jason say anything else that might be helpful in all of this?”
Andrew shakes his head. “He is traveling to meet up with a friend who has in the past been in touch with ancient spirits. Where this Saria is said to have traveled between realms, maybe someone there can be of help. Either way, he will meet us at home tomorrow and maybe by then he will have some more light to spread on the subject.
The next morning as we pack the car, I can see the children looking around, saying good-bye to their friends and wonder if, considering what might be brewing, it may be better to leave them here where they would be safer. A hand on my back makes me jump. “Mia, they will be fine. If anything develops, we can all be there within in a few hours. It would be very detrimental for them and even you to leave them behind now. They just got you back and the people in New York see you now with them. Too many changes will cause questions and you will constantly be worried about whether leaving them here was the right decision. You will become more distracted than I fear you will become with this newest endeavor to stay the course of what you originally went there to finish.”
“But what if this newest issue takes me away from that anyway and worse, puts them in danger. I can’t do anything more to them.”
“Then take them home. Home is where you and Andrew are. They need to be close to you. They are strong and so are you, but all of you are stronger when you are together. If you need us, we will be there. We have plenty of coverage here now and can leave at a moment’s notice.”
“But what if I’m exposing them to more than we can handle?”
“Mia, the unknown always feels like more than we can handle because we never know what will happen next, but hiding because of what can occur, hiding from fear is no life at all and allows the darkness to take one more thing from us. A very wise woman said that once.” He smiles ruefully at me. “Seriously, they need to experience life and they have seen what our world can begin to throw in their path, shielding them from this type of reality will only make them more vulnerable.” I open my mouth to say something, but he leans down and begins whispering in my ear as Jacob approaches. “I’m not saying put them in the line of fire, but it is better to keep them in the loop than have them try to fight their way to you as you are in the thick of something. If you see anything at all, feel insecure, I promise, we will come and if you want the children to return then, we can come and you can talk to them about it, but shutting them out will only make them feel insecure about their abilities and feel as if their family is fragmenting instead of staying together.”
I nod as Jacob stands before me. “Is something wrong?”
“N
o sweetie, I was just thinking how much I will miss our home.”
“Mom, please stop treating me like a child. I know that you are worried about what is going to happen when we return because you are meeting someone who either thinks you are someone else or can help someone from a long time ago.” My mouth drops open. “Uncle Gabriel is right, you can’t keep us out of this or locked up here. We are much stronger than you give us credit for. I know Nicole gets concerned, but she is stronger than she gives herself credit for and when she needs to, she finds the strength. You can’t protect us forever and isn’t it better that we learn while we are with you and can draw strength from our being together?”
“Jacob, were you listening last night?” I manage to squeak out when I recover the ability to move my jaw.
“No, I actually heard Claire talking last night in my dreams. I must have somehow connected to you or dad. Although it was dreamlike last night, I did hear uncle Gabriel now and it confirmed it wasn’t a dream.”
“Jacob, I wasn’t trying to treat you like a child. I know that you are extremely mature, but as you know, we have been through a lot and you are more comfortable than the others using your powers. I just don’t want to force the others into using their powers or into a situation that they might not be ready for.”
He moves us away from the car as the others approach with their suitcases and Gabriel helps them pack them into the trunk. “Mom, maybe pushing them to use their powers would be a good thing. You never know when they may be in a situation where they need to use them and we are not around. Mom, they need to get strong too and comfortable in situations, hesitation will hurt them.” I open my mouth about to ask him if he has seen anything, but before I can, he raises his hand up. “I’m not saying I saw anything, all I’m saying is that sometimes, forcing them into doing something they feel uncomfortable with but in a situation where there is no immediate danger or when they have you and dad for back up, may get them prepared if something does happen.”
“When did you become so much wiser than your mother?”
He laughs. “Not wiser, I’m just not a parent yet who always wants to keep her children from harm, which as we both know is an impossible goal, but which I will probably try to do too when I have children of my own.” I hug him and we are both laughing when the others approach.
“What’s so funny?” Nicholas asks approaching us.
“I was just telling mom, if she really likes how the wing comes out, maybe we can bounce back and forth and that will be just one more hospital to add to the list of the family hospitals started.”
“Would you really want to bounce back and forth? Why wouldn’t you want to stay here and let someone else run that, someone who is supposed to be there?” I can hear the panic undertone in Nicole’s voice as Kayla puts her hand on Nicole’s arm, she quickly changes direction. “If you wanted to that would be great, but wouldn’t it be too much for you to bounce between practicing psychiatry and surgery?”
Smiling, I move closer to her. “That would be confusing, wouldn’t it? I think I would much rather stick to the original plan of breaking ground and moving toward my replacement taking over so that we can fade back into our life here.” I feel her relax.