Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows
L.A.A. Law
©2014 by L.A.A. Law
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictionally and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Inside Cover - Synopsis
After Reginald’s return with strong friends thwarts demonic attempts to lay claim to Mia and Andrew’s twins at their birth, Mia and Andrew enjoy more than ten years of peace and tranquility raising their family. Sanctuary transforms from a mere hospital protecting a few to a budding community of supernatural friends with new homes and even a school which allows the children to dissect not only real world problems, but delve into the surreal that surrounds them.
Making extraordinary strides in research, Mia’s father saves the life of a British dignitary’s son who invites them all to attend a ceremony in his honor. The timing could not be more perfect. Lucas’ friend is seeking help in setting up an English hospital wing which he is to head. After attending her father’s ceremony, Mia and Andrew plan on joining Lucas and Catherine for a few weeks to assist Jamison.
While there, an ancient enemy rises and casts Mia, Andrew, and the St. Cloud family into a deadly game of cat and mouse in a desperate attempt to save the children. As Nicholas, Kayla, Jacob, and Nicole fight to survive amongst those that Mia and Andrew always hoped to shield them from, untapped powers emerge, strength unfolds, unexpected friendships form, and new enemies materialize.
Fighting this new threat unearths Eva’s secret sacrifice causing Mia to choose a path she knows will end her life at Sanctuary, tearing her from Andrew and her children, and finally giving the awaiting arms of darkness the opportunity to claim the very soul it hungers to consume.
Table Of Contents
Chapter One - Prologue
Chapter Two- England
Chapter Three - The Search Commences
Chapter Four - A New Terror Emerges
Chapter Five - In The Hands Of Wolves
Chapter Six - Incapacitated And Alone In Enemy Territory
Chapter Seven - A Fight To Rescue The Captives
Chapter Eight - Heading Home
Chapter Nine - Facing The Werewolf Challenge
Chapter Ten - A Deadly Night
Chapter Eleven - An Old Secret Revealed, A Sacrifice Uncovered, And An End Of A Life
Chapter Twelve - Epilogue
A Note To The Reader
Synopsis Of Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Dark Encounter
Chapter One - Prologue
Gliding the knife over the twins’ birthday cake, I can’t believe that it has been fourteen years since I first crossed the gates of Sanctuary and entered into the world of the surreal. It’s strange to realize that it took my being cast into the realm of dead to bring me to life and allow my family, or at least what remains of my family, to come together. Stephan and I forged a friendship free from the animosity and judgment which riddled my former “normal” existence. He and Marie are partners in the family clinic and improved the practice by adding a built in day care facility when their newest addition arrived.
My father’s research transformed him. Not only is he and his team almost ready to seek approval for their artificial heart, but his strides in heart transplant surgery on very difficult cases is leading our family to England after Nicolas and Kayla’s birthday to witness his receiving a special commendation from a high dignitary whose son’s life he saved.
New patients and new blood fill the halls of Sanctuary.
In the sixth month of my pregnancy, Reginald returned for a short stay. Although I had not gotten in touch with him, he heard rumors that Andrew and I were expecting. He knew that such a pregnancy would take an extraordinary toll upon me and had some spells that would help. However, this was not his only reason for returning. He came bearing a warning that our children were the dark real’s prime targets because as our children they would not only inherit Andrew’s celestial powers to advance life and death but also my powerful abilities making them a formidable force against the darkness.
Reginald learned of my pregnancy from a vampire more ancient than even himself who had ties to both the dark and light realm. He equated him to a bounty hunter, someone who would work for either side as long as the adventure could relieve his boredom. Living so many lifetimes, money was no longer important, nor was it the prize. The prize was adventure, adrenaline, and a feeling of excitement that he could get from participating in something quite out of the ordinary and our children were just that. Reginald came across him in his travels. Edwin claimed to possess vital information if Reginald could offer him something more satiable that would not involve claiming very valuable twins.
He returned to Sanctuary immediately to warn us. Shuddering, I still hear the warning ringing in my ears, “If the dark side grabs hold of the twins and turns them, they will have power on this plane beyond that of any witch, vampire, angel, or demon. Your children offer unique abilities, they are beyond part witch and part vampire. Their souls, powers, and ability to tip the scale are stronger than both you and Andrew. If they are captured and trained to embrace the dark arts, their power will transcend supernatural boundaries. Not only can they kill other witches, directly interfere with the lives or death of individuals and utilize all of their powers on this plane, but I fear something even worse could ripple through everyone’s future.”
Although he would not elaborate stating that the full picture cannot always be revealed, we always suspected, as with our shared visions that he knew something more. Despite this, I was very grateful that he stayed on with some very powerful friends who ensured that Sanctuary was not only protected, but the children were born while all threatening demons were kept at bay. Although the shadows and creatures like those we encountered on the night the St. Clouds were finally free pervaded the woods and night sky as Nicole and Jacob were born, our friends ensured the darkness never penetrated the shield of light surrounding Sanctuary and that the our children were brought into this world without surreal interference.
Before leaving, Reginald ensured that we had some permanent new residents on the premises that could assist me in learning how to best utilize my powers and could ensure that the twins would be protected.
My mind drifts from the time after the children were born when we moved the restricted building to the administration building and converted the unit to a school to when the St. Clouds built family unit residences for the families of children with special powers. As our numbers grew, our community turned into a place where witches could study not only their necessary scholastics but could also learn to control their gifts and enrich their abilities.
Jason and Rachel soon returned with some friends from Italy who played a vital role in developing the school where witches and vampires quickly learned to lead valuable existences.
Although we wanted to give the children as normal a life as possible, free of their utilizing any powers until they had grown as individuals, we learned early on that this would not be possible and
that it was extremely important that we had individuals on the premises that knew the white arts. Their assistance in this matter was a necessity for Nicole and Jacob who even during their infancy possessed not only witch and wizardry powers, but also the powers to advance healing and death. Since I was new to this realm, had not yet had the chance to fully understand my own abilities, and was unable to have Reginald teach me during my pregnancy, I was grateful to be surrounded by trustworthy witches. Andrew got together with Emma, Reginald, Rachel, and Jason so that we could develop an early program to ensure that all bases were covered in controlling their unintended use of powers during their infancy.
Although their very strong and bright auras were of no surprise, their early unintended use of angelic and wizardry powers before they could even speak was a shock. I can’t help but smiles as I remember seeing Nicole’s rattle fly across the room when she was just weeks old or hearing Jacob’s musical mobile mysteriously go on in the middle of the evening.
Their angelic powers revealed themselves early on as well. They inherited both the power to advance healing and death. Andrew witnessed Nicole’s ability to heal when she inadvertently touched a rabbit which he was picking up because it had been attacked and lay dying on one of the trails. Jacob’s power to advance death was witnessed by the entire family one afternoon in the courtyard when a snapping turtle bit his finger. Holding it, a red glow emanated from his hands and the turtle expired immediately. Although we were sure that it was not his intention since he was only a few months old and couldn’t form such a desire, his being upset and in pain revealed that this ability was present and the children needed to be carefully monitored.
Nicholas and Kayla quickly picked up on their cousins’ abilities and developed their own. With four children who hadn’t learned how to speak but possessed exceptional abilities to make their desires fly across the room, life around Sanctuary became very interesting.
As time went by, all of the children seemed to adopt John as their resident grandfather, Stephanie and Teri as water playmates and William as the resident art teacher which suited him, especially when they would dip their tiny fingers in his pallet of paint and turn their little drips into wonderful animals or beautifully colorful pictures which made them smile.
Andrew’s siblings’ quick hands were extremely helpful when the children would cause things to float across a room filled with patients on the holidays or when we were in the courtyard. Although Andrew and I are their parents, Nicholas, Kayla, Nicole and Jacob filled a void for the entire St. Cloud family who were deprived of children because of their circumstances. Since their birth, the children were surrounded by love and devotion with each member of the St. Cloud family and our adopted friends bringing an enriching and interesting facet into their lives.
Thankfully, the school allows the children to interact with others of their own age and associate with families and peers who do not consider them strange or freaks of nature because they possess abilities which are well beyond anything in the normal world. Although the school allows the children to utilize some basic powers, the families here believe in the importance of raising the children as individuals first with very limited use of powers to secure their desires. In this way, we hope they will embrace goodness and light as opposed to immediate gratification, which could lead to darker days. The children are very receptive to this type of arrangement. Although they know that they are special, they also know that there are limits in this world and consequences with far reaching repercussions. I shake my head and a shiver still runs through me as I remember how they learned this lesson. Two children were arguing near the lake and one of them, with a mere flick of her wrist caused a young boy to be thrown and suspended over the water before plunging down into the deep end of the lake. Unable to swim, he panicked and forgot to utilize his powers to keep him from going under. Fortunately, a teacher saved his life, but all of the children learned that their powers could result in unintended consequences.
Suddenly, my surroundings change, my cozy kitchen turns into a hallowed hall, cold and desolate, waves of fear crash over me. I can’t breathe! Before I can even discern where I am or what is causing my heart to be wrenched from my body, a set of cool hands wrap themselves around my waist pulling me to the present. Andrew’s beautifully chiseled chin rests upon my shoulder. “That looks absolutely wonderful.” He gently nuzzles my neck.
My heart continues to race like an out of control freight train, but my fear evaporates as I turn to meet his loving gaze. The feeling of safety and love each time I look into Andrew’s eyes makes me extremely grateful for the one thing that has not changed since I entered Sanctuary. His cool lips brush across mine, causing an electrical surge throughout my entire being. As I run my fingertips up his chiseled physique, he shudders.
Reaching around, he picks up the cake, placing it in the refrigerator. Returning, he takes my hand, leading me downstairs, and out to the bench in front of the residency. It is almost midnight. The stars shine brightly against the onyx sky.
As I sit, he pulls me onto his lap, encircling me in his embrace. My pulse quickens, igniting every cell, overheating my very essence. Even after all this time, I cannot stop my reaction to his touch.
His cool lips brush the back of my neck, moving slowly to my ear. “Look up at the sky.”
The sky is ablaze with the natural fireworks of a meteor shower.
“Do you remember the last time the sky lit up for you?” His voice is soft, sultry.
Turning, wrapping my arms around his waist and nuzzling his stone, cold neck, I answer. “That was the night the most perfect angel promised to grace my life throughout eternity.” His impassioned kiss sets my heart ablaze, fueling my blood, my pulse is pounding in my ears and I barely hear Jackson as he passes. “It’s a good thing you have a day before your flight, you two just don’t have the restraint you did on your wedding night.” He smirks.
I can feel Andrew’s lips turn up into a smile as he withdraws them slightly from mine. “Let’s see how much restraint you have when you see Eva in her latest purchase which I delivered to your suite. I bet she is wearing it right now.”
A rush of winter air brushes my cheek as he flies by us and I can’t contain my laughter. “I got the mail this morning and there were no packages for Eva.”
A glorious smile alights his features, he looks even more beautiful. “I know, but how else could I get him to leave.” He jokes.
“He’ll be terribly disappointed.” I retort.
Andrew’s splendiferous eyes sparkle mischievously. “Don’t worry about Jackson he has a special gift for seeing Eva in exactly what he desires. Besides, it wouldn’t be on long enough for him to even register that it’s not new.”
Punching him in the shoulder, “You’re awful.”
His cool lips glide across my jaw, stopping at my ear. “I’m just a man in love with the most beautiful woman on the planet.” He murmurs.
“Now who is using the art of delusion?” I smile.
His lips move toward mine again, kissing them softly as he rises with me in his arms, carrying me back inside. Quietly, he places me on the bed. As his cool lips glide across my neck, I feel his long arm reaching toward the floor. As he pulls his lips from mine, I feel a touch as soft as silk brush across my forehead, down my nose and across my lips. My heart drums as if someone opened up the gears of a motor boat full throttle. He gently places the velvety rose in my hand. Bringing it up to my nose to smell its sweet fragrance, I glimpse a blush ribbon holding a delicate gold and platinum, intertwined bracelet with the children’s birth stones scattered in between and one stone which I recognize as October, but cannot figure out the significance. Andrew’s fingers deftly release the bracelet from its hold, placing it on my wrist. Brushing my finger across the October birth stone, my eyes shift from it to him. “What is this one for?”
He slowly brushes his soft lips across the inside of my wrist, kissing it tenderly. “That one is
for the day you arrived at Sanctuary, awakening my heart and allowing my life to truly begin after five hundred solitary years.” Remembering how he was when I arrived, so lonely, so self-loathing, I know he still holds some of his doubts, but am relieved that our life and family have brought him happiness. “I know I fought against being with you and my heart is incapable of truly beating, but that is the day when I became whole and felt as if a ray of sunshine had touched my vile existence. I can never fully explain to you what you brought to me and then you kept giving me more than I could have ever imagined, the dream that I thought our conversion forced me to forever forego.”
Sincerity rings through every word, swelling my heart, making me love him even more. Pulling his glorious face towards mine, “you have given everything to me and opened up a world of happiness that I never thought possible.”
After spending the night locked in his amorous embrace, we celebrate the twin’s birthday before boarding a plane with Catherine and Lucas and head toward England for my father’s ceremony and to assist Jamison, an old colleague and friend of Lucas with a new wing that his grandfather had donated to an English hospital which Jamison is to head. Although Jamison is an excellent physician, he knows nothing about administration and called Lucas begging him to come over and assist in establishing his records and the new terminal care ward.
After attending the ceremony for my father, Catherine and I will set up and teach the administrative personnel and staff the computer system that Catherine developed at Sanctuary and show them how to secure additional insurance benefits for the patients, while Andrew and Lucas coordinate and teach the staff the best way to organize the patients’ rooms to ensure that the various needs of the patients are met in the most cost effective manner.
As we strategize, the children talk excitedly about the prospect of seeing a new part of the world. I am surprised to learn that this will be Lucas’ first time back in England since fleeing from the family who transformed his life forever.