Uninvited: A Paranormal Urban Fantasy Novel (The Dark Skies Trilogy Book Two) by Lysa Daley

a small maze of hallways and corridors finally arriving at an old wooden door with scrolling iron hinges. A heavy, ancient looking padlock secures the door.
    Jax pulls out an old skeleton key and unlocks it. I’m pretty sure I could pick that lock with just a bobby pin and a pen cap.
    Not exactly crack security.
    But once the heavy door swings open, a second door appears. This one does not blend into its surroundings. It’s made of stainless steel, complete with a keypad, camera, and retinal scanner.
    Old world beauty meets new world security.
    “The monks have done a few upgrades around here recently,” Jax explains.
    The security system requires Jax to type in three different passcodes, along with a retinal scan of his eye and his thumbprint before the lock disengages.
    The heavy steel door swings open and Ruby gasps.

Chapter 16
    I t’s a regular modern medical facility. Except the patients are all aliens.
    We leave the old stone floors and timbered beam ceilings behind as we step into a state-of-the-art hospital ward. Twenty beds — ten on each side — stretch out before us.
    Ruby and I follow the group into the medical ward until a woman wearing pink hospital scrubs and a nun’s black and white scarf blocks our path. “Hold on there, ladies. You're not going anywhere.”
    “But that's my uncle,” I try to explain so she’ll let us continue on.
    “Your uncle?” She eyes me skeptically. “He's a MoonEyed Blue, and you're clearly Lyrian. Not exactly sure how he could be your uncle?”
    My mouth drops open in amazement. How could this woman size me up so quickly and accurately?
    “It's okay, sister.” Dr. Maggie turns back to us. “Astrid can come in. But, no offense, Ruby, we have to try to keep contact with outside individuals to a minimum. For the sake of the patients.”
    “Hang on a minute. If you knew everything that Ruby’s done for us,” I begin to protest, but Ruby stops me.
    “Astrid, it’s okay,” she says calmly, “Really. You go.”
    “Sister, could you take Ruby to their new room?” Dr. Maggie adds. “I’m sure she’d love to freshen up and get some rest.”
    Before she leaves, Ruby promises to get our stuff up to our new room and ready for my arrival.
    When I get over to my uncle’s bed, they're already giving him a transfusion of rusty blue blood.
    “I’ve given him a compatible antibiotic,” Dr. Maggie explains, “Lucky we had a sick three-eared Electrapian in here a couple of weeks ago. Their blood matches your uncle’s type. Good thing we thought to have them give us a donation.”
    “So he’s going to be okay?”
    Dr. Maggie is quiet for a moment. “I'm not going to lie to you, Astrid. Your uncle is in pretty bad shape. It's a good thing you got in here when you did. But even with that said, it may be too late for your uncle. Such a deep wound from Draconian steel is almost always fatal.”
    My heart drops. “When will you know?”
    “We’ll know… ” Dr. Maggie shrugs, “when we know. I wish I had a better answer.”
    Ouch. That’s not good to hear.
    Once she’s gotten the transfusion flowing smoothly, Dr. Maggie moves to my side. “I know you don't remember me.”
    “I’m sorry?” I study her face and rifle through my memory banks. I’m drawing a blank. “We've met before?”
    “Oh, yes,” she laughs softly. “It was a long time ago when you were a very little girl. I gave you some of my old Barbie dolls, and you loved them.”
    “Wait!” I can't believe what I'm hearing. “You’re Fitz’s daughter.”
    “I am.” She extends her hand for me to shake. “I guess we should make it official. Very nice to meet you, Astrid Jones. I'm Maggie Fitzgerald. Dr. Maggie around here.”
    I shake her strong but soft hand; a doctor’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Again.”
    For a couple of hours, I sit and wait. The nurses keep trying to get me to go back to my new room where Ruby is waiting, but I'd rather stay with my uncle.
    This is by far the most