Page 29 of Unholy Cross

“Her parents were killed by a man who kept her locked up in Noble Vale Sanatorium.For five years, he beat her and hurt her.I went to rescue her, but she was able to escape on her own by killing the guard who was trying to rape her.”

Fury darkened Saxon’s face, and he didn’t once look away from her.“What did this walking dead man want with you?”

“She has a gift of healing,” Cross answered.“He sold her services.”

Confusion filled their faces.

“What does that mean?”Evren asked.

“It means exactly what I said.She heals people.”

“How exactly do you heal people?”Evren probed more.“Are you some sort of genius doctor like that old show we watched, uh ...what was it called ...oh,House?”

Lorelei shook her head, then looked at Cross.She didn’t mind answering the questions, but she didn’t know if they’d believe her.Not many people had superpowers.

“She heals with her hands,” Cross replied.

Still, confusion lingered.

“I don’t get it,” Jeremiah said.

“I was shot last night.”Cross looked at each of his brothers.“That asshole I killed shot me first.I was dying.Lorelei laid her hands on my wound, and then I wasn’t shot anymore.She absorbed the wound.That’s why she was sick.She had to purge it from her system.”

“Are you trying to be funny?”Jeremiah demanded.

Lorelei looked down to her plate, understanding why he didn’t believe.It was a fantastical notion for any paranormal movie, but not necessarily in real life.

Next to her, Saxon suddenly pulled out a butterfly knife, grabbing her attention.With an expert shake of his wrist, he exposed the blade and then cut his hand.Blood squirted over the white tablecloth.

“What the fuck, Sax!”Jeremiah snapped.

Saxon watched, waiting, not even flinching at what had to be a painful cut.Before Cross could stop her, she laid her hand on top of the wound and immediately sank into his skin.Closing her eyes, she focused on knitting the flesh and muscle back together.It only took a few minutes because it wasn’t that bad of a cut.Once she was done, she opened her eyes to find Saxon staring at her in absolute disbelief.Cross took hold of her hand.

“Let me see,” he ordered.She opened her fist, knowing there wouldn’t be a wound.He pressed his hand to her forehead.“You seem a little hot...”

She took his hand in hers and smiled as she mouthed that she was fine.

“You aren’t fine,” he grumbled.“Don’t do that again.”

“Holy fucking witch balls!”Saxon exclaimed.He held up his wound-free hand.“This is some voodoo shit right here.”

“How’d you do that?”Evren asked, sounding awed.

She shrugged.Truth was, she really had no idea.It had been something she’d been able to do since she was a child.Her first memory of her so-called gift was when her mother had broken a finger and she instinctively fixed it.

“Where can I find someone like you?”Saxon asked, awe threading through his voice.

She wasn’t even sure how or why she had this power, let alone where others might be.

“Who was the son of a bitch who abused her?”Jeremiah steepled his fingers.“The man who sold this gift to others?”

She answered and held up the notebook so he could read the name.

“Costello Birsha,” Saxon muttered.“What a godawful name.”

“Wait,” Evren interjected.“Was the man last night sent by this Birsha asshole?”

“Yeah,” Cross replied.

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