Love Immortal (3 page)

When she had satisfied herself that he was
going to live through the night, she walked slowly from the room.
She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay there, to sit with him
until he woke. She wanted to be the first thing he saw when he
opened his eyes.

She scolded herself knowing that these
feelings, these longings were unfounded. She didn’t know who the
man was, she had no connection to him, and the professional thing
to do would be to never see him again. She was probably feeling
this way because she had helped to save his life. Once she left, it
would be easier. There would be no reason to see him again as she
rarely had reason to leave the ER, and she definitely had no reason
to go upstairs to the patients’ rooms so after she left, she would
never see him again. As she left, she silently vowed to forget that
Collin Sykes ever existed.

She smiled at Carol as she walked past the
ICU desk. “Well, I need to get to work or Nurse Yohanan is going to
hunt me down.”

“Do you want me to let you know when they
move him upstairs?” Carol asked.

Jewell paused for a minute, remembering the
face she so desperately longed for. “No. No I don’t,” she responded
a little too abruptly as she turned and strode back toward the
ER.

CHAPTER 5

Percy Knighton sat in his car outside the
hospital watching as news reporters clamored for information about
the victim of a car accident that had occurred the night before.
They were seeking sensationalist headlines, something to sell
papers. A rumor had been leaked that one of the drivers of the
previous night’s collision had died, but was then brought back to
life after medical knowledge shouldn’t have been able to revive
him.

Although Percy couldn’t hear what was being
said, he could imagine. It probably played out like a headline in
the Weekly World News; Man Rises from the Dead after Car Accident,
or Zombie Driver Terrorizes Hospital Staff. It wasn’t a completely
impossible occurrence. It had happened before; children falling
through the ice and pronounced clinically dead, only to be revived
after thirty minutes when the body temperature begins to rise. Once
in a while news stories were published about people that were taken
to the morgue or even buried, only to be found alive hours later –
these stories though usually originated in third world countries,
not in the United States. He knew that the story of this young
man’s survival, his nephew’s survival, would be the topic of news
stories for weeks to come. He also knew that this meant it was time
to run.

Percy had been taking care of Collin since
Collin was only three months old. This wouldn’t bother Percy if he
wasn’t a hunted man, forcing him to run from place to place to
protect his identity, his secrets. He hated forcing Collin into
this lifestyle. He hoped, when Collin was born, that Collin would
live a normal life with his parents, but Collin’s parents had been
murdered. The details of that particular murder had been in the
news for months, the murder having been particularly…gruesome.
Percy felt a pain in his chest at this unexpected memory. He also
regretted the realization that what made him a hunted man, now made
Collin hunted as well.

After a time, the media representatives
dissipated. The doctor and the sheriff had retreated back into the
hospital, denying entrance to the reporters. Percy waited for
another half hour, just to be safe – he didn’t want to have to
answer any questions - and walked to the hospital. He told the
young woman at the desk who he was, and who he had come to see. She
didn’t need to look Collin up in the computer; she knew who he was,
and where he was. After confirming Percy’s ID, she told Percy that
he would need to speak first with Dr. Babineaux, head of the ICU.
Dr. Babineaux liked to prepare the family member for what they were
about to see; to prepare the family for the emotional shock.

A young man escorted Percy down the hall and
ushered Percy into a large office where Dr. Babineaux, who was
sitting behind the large desk, stood and gestured for Percy to have
a seat in one of the chairs facing the desk. The office was
tastefully decorated, expensive looking, but not ostentatious.
There was a large mahogany desk on the right, facing a large window
on the left wall. Behind the desk was a bookshelf covering the
whole wall, front to back, top to bottom which was completely
filled with medical texts and references. In front of the desk were
two large, comfortable looking leather chairs.

After Percy had settled into one of the
chairs, Dr. Babineaux sat with his hands folded on his desk,
scrutinizing Percy. The intense stare, coupled with the curiosity
in the doctor’s eyes made Percy nervous; it seemed that the doctor
knew, or suspected something out of the ordinary. The doctor sat
silent for a long moment. Percy was unsure whether the doctor was
waiting for Percy to speak first, or if he was simply gathering his
thoughts. This was a rather unique situation, after all. Percy was
a man of interminable patience, so he waited for the doctor to
speak first.

The doctor began by clearing his throat. He
looked at Percy again, with that strange and curious stare, before
speaking. “My name is Dr. Nicholas Babineaux, head of ICU. I
generally like to speak to a patient’s family before allowing them
to see the patient, typically to prepare them for what they might
see. As you can imagine, it can be…difficult.”

“Nicholas Babineaux, the researcher?”

“Yes, I have published some articles.”

“I’ve read some of your work. You’re
interested in…” Percy didn’t want to reveal too much. Babineaux’s
research indicated an interest in his kind, but it in no way
revealed on what side his interests lay. “…in the effects of
certain enzymes on wound healing and life span.”

“Yes, yes, exactly. Are you familiar with my
research?”

“I too am a doctor and researcher. I’m
interested in the area though I’ve never published. I seek to
disable the enzyme where I understand you seek to enable it.”

“Interesting. And is your interest personal
or medical?”

Percy didn’t answer, but simply watched the
doctor intently.

“Yes. I see where that question might be a
little…personal.”

Percy didn’t say anything, only nodded.

“Your nephew was involved in a very serious
car accident. His injuries were quite extensive. When he arrived in
the ER last night, we had reason to believe that he wouldn’t
survive.” The doctor paused for a moment, apparently waiting for
Percy’s reaction. Percy gave none.

The doctor continued. “He…we,” the doctor
seemed to change the direction of his thoughts, “were able
to…revive him…” the doctor seemed uncomfortable with his
explanation. Percy knew why. If Babineaux’s research interest was
what Percy thought it was, then Babineaux knew the exact reason for
the unusual events of the previous night. The doctor probably
wondered if Percy knew but would want to confirm his understanding
of the situation. “He was in surgery for most of the day, but he is
stable, in ICU. We expect to move him to a room sometime tomorrow,
despite the extent of his injuries. He seems to be…responding well
to treatment.” It was clear to Percy that this man was not
frequently at a loss for words, but in this case, the words did not
flow easily.

Percy remained silent, waiting for the doctor
to continue; to explain the strange occurrence of the previous
night before Percy had the opportunity to read it in tomorrow’s
headlines.

Instead, the doctor said something
unexpected. “I would like to include Sheriff Payne in our
conversation. He saw the accident site shortly after the accident
occurred.”

Percy took a moment to consider the Doctor’s
comment. He was on edge; he did not know if he had just walked into
his hunter’s snare, or if this was simply standard procedure, or
if, against all odds, he had found a sympathizer. Perhaps because
the injuries occurred as the result of an automobile accident, the
sheriff would want to speak to the family. Percy was uncomfortable
being questioned; there was much that he could not disclose.

“If that’s necessary,” he replied carefully,
in an even tone. He tried not to reveal his reluctance in his
response; in his experience, refusing to answer questions generally
only made things worse.

“I believe it is.” The doctor pushed himself
up using his desk for support. He glanced again at Percy and walked
to the door to his office.

The doctor’s inquisitive looks were beginning
to make Percy increasingly uneasy. Percy folded his hands carefully
in his lap, and casually crossed his legs. He had practice at
looking at ease, even when he was not.

When the doctor returned, he had the sheriff
with him. Percy stood as the sheriff walked toward him. The
sheriff’s uniform was neatly pressed, and the name tag on his left
breast pocket read “Payne.” The sheriff extended his hand in
greeting. He was smiling, but the smile was cautious and did not
reach his eyes. He looked at Percy with the same intense, curious
gaze as the doctor.

The sheriff took Percy’s hand and looked into
Percy’s eyes as if he were trying to look into the depths of
Percy’s soul. As he firmly shook Percy’s hand, maintaining contact
longer than was customary, he resolutely introduced himself to
Percy giving his full name. “Hugh Payne.”

Percy showed no reaction to the sheriff’s
introduction, but at the sound of the name his heart skipped a
beat. He looked at the man shaking his hand, “Interesting,” he
responded cautiously. “Hugh Payne? Were you aware that one of the
original Templars had the same name? Are you perhaps related?”

“No, not related. I was lucky to have the
surname. My father though, was a great admirer of Hughes De
Paynes.”

“I see. Perhaps his life has had as much of
an effect on your life as it has on mine?”

“Have you led a penitent’s life?” Sheriff
Payne asked the verifying question.

“I have, but all has not been forgiven.”
Percy replied in the standard response, carefully looking at each
man individually.

“No my friend,” Dr. Babineaux responded,
placing special emphasis on the word ‘friend.’ “Indeed it has
not.”

All three men grinned as the doctor gave
Percy a friendly slap on the back. Percy was almost giddy with
relief. Perhaps, he and Collin wouldn’t need to leave after all.
The men standing before him had sworn to protect his and Collin’s
lives with their own.

CHAPTER 6

Jewell was glad she was back at work. Nurse
Yohanan would keep her busy. She had spent the past three days
trying to occupy her time. Time and again she found her thoughts
turning back to the man, Collin, in the ICU. On Friday, she
accidentally took the Mandeville exit heading towards the hospital.
Having the pond between her and Collin seemed to make it a bit
easier to resist her yearning to see him. It didn’t however, ease
her thoughts.

At night, she would dream about him. The
dream never changed. It took place in an expansive home that looked
like the inside of one of the plantation homes she had toured with
her father on the Natchez Trace last summer. Jewell was in a room,
with him and several other people she didn’t know. They were
arguing. She couldn’t understand what they were saying, but
somehow, she knew that she was the topic of the argument.

The dreams were the worst because she
couldn’t stop them. They were a manifestation of her subconscious,
an indication of her deepest desires – or fears. At least during
the day, if she tried hard enough, she could distract herself,
think of something else. Even so, her thoughts always strayed back
to him.

When she walked through the doors of the
hospital, her body trembled as she thought about how close he was.
When Nurse Yohanan asked her to take some paperwork to Carol early
in Jewell’s shift, she hesitated only a second before snatching the
folder out of Nurse Yohanan’s hands, anxious to complete her task.
Of course, Nurse Yohanan was used to Jewell’s enthusiasm, so she
didn’t notice the excitement in Jewell’s eyes as she turned to walk
toward the ICU.

When Carol saw Jewell coming, she smiled.
Jewell walked casually up to the desk and handed Carol the folder.
“Nurse Yohanan asked me to bring this paperwork to you.” Jewell
said as casually as she could, though she could hear the excited
quiver in her voice. She wondered if Carol could hear it as
well.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Tell Nurse Yohanan I
appreciate her sending it to me so promptly. It wasn’t urgent. I
could have waited if there were other things she needed you to
do.”

“Oh, no!” When Carol’s eyebrows drew down
over her eyes at Jewell’s outburst, Jewell casually waved her hand
and added “We aren’t that busy down there right now. I was happy to
bring them.”

“Well, thank you dear.”

“Um…Are all of patients doing well?”

“I guess as well as can be expected.” Carol
responded, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Yesterday they brought
in a woman who suffered a heart attack. She’s so young, only
twenty-six, and a newborn baby at home too. I’ve been praying for
her.”

“Wow. That’s really sad.” Jewell paused.

“Are you concerned about anyone in
particular?” Carol wasn’t dense. She had a lifetime’s experience to
learn to read people’s faces.

Jewell casually dragged her finger along the
edge of Carol’s desk. “No, not really.” She knew as soon as she
said it that she didn’t sound convincing at all. Even to her ears,
the lie was as obvious as if it had been tattooed across her
forehead.

“He came out of his coma about an hour after
you came by to see him. When he remained conscious, they moved him
into a private room upstairs.”

“Who?” Jewell winced as she said the single
word that betrayed her longing for news about Collin. She could see
that Carol was not the least bit convinced that she didn’t know who
they were talking about.