Page 34 of Deep Within Me
“He’s no longer bleeding,” she answered, inclining her head to Ernez. “Neither are you.” She regarded his earlobe with obvious pride.
Carreon held back an oath. The fucker still stung, the pain hardly banished even after so many hours. Beneath his fingers, the lobe felt puffy and deformed. Liz’s gift and her father’s would have restored it to its original shape because their abilities would always be stronger than Trinidad’s. Unless… Again, Carreon wondered if the power to heal—to reanimate—was something one could nurture and strengthen with regular use.
There was only one way to find out.
“Ernez.”
The man went to Carreon immediately, while also keeping a safe distance…just out of arm’s reach.
For the moment, Carreon ignored Ernez’s prudent caution and spoke to Trinidad. “Give me your knife.”
She regarded the injury she’d given Ernez and delivered her switchblade with a smile.
“Your hand,” Carreon said to the younger man. “The one that hasn’t been cut.”
Ernez backed up a step.
Carreon depressed the button that released the blade. Ernez flinched at its silky whoosh then stared at the gleaming metalas though it were a living thing, a monster from a horrible nightmare.
“Now,” Carreon ordered.
Ernez didn’t move. He seemed unable to breathe.
When he’d murdered his own cousin on Carreon’s orders, he’d shown no fear or hesitation. Then he’d been obedient and brave. No longer.
He whispered, “Please don’t.”
Please don’t?Did the idiot actually believe that would change anything? Carreon needed to test the extent of Trinidad’s power. He had to use her for his own ends until he had Liz and her father back, which he would. He’d also have Zeke, torturing him into revealing his visions.
“It’s either your hand or your balls,” Carreon said, offering a choice.
Ernez trembled. He put out his hand. It shook badly.
“Would you like me to hold him still?” Trinidad asked.
“Bitch,” Ernez growled.
“Yes,” she said, leveling her gaze on him. “What of it?”
“Cut her,” Ernez begged Carreon. “See if she can heal herself.”
“I’d rather see if she can heal you.”
“I don’t mind.” She pushed to her feet and held out her hand, palm up, as steady as a physician prepared to perform major surgery. “Go on.”
Carreon was nearly tempted to do so, to see if he could pull some emotion from her. However, the small mark on her palm stopped him. What if the knife injured more than her tissue, veins, and tendons? What if it reduced her healing gift even more? What if she was his last hope for healing and reanimation because he couldn’t get Liz and her father back? If they remained with Zeke—
No.They wouldn’t. Somehow he’d see all three of them imprisoned.
Failure wasn’t something Carreon would accept. Nor did he have time to strengthen Trinidad’s gift bit by bit with minor wounds.
He closed the blade and tossed the weapon back to her. She caught it in one hand, holding it in her fingers as she might a cigarette. “You want me to cut him?”
Ignoring her, Carreon spoke to Ernez. “Which of the strippers is the least popular with the customers?”
Trinidad answered before he could. “Maria. She’s old. Nearly thirty-five. She should have quit a long time ago.”
Indeed, she should have. A woman past thirty was a senior citizen when it came to stripping and whoring.