Page 40 of The Devil on my Chest

Rocky swerved to the side of the road and jammed on the breaks. “Collins road,” he yelled into the microphone. “I need Doc at Collins road, now.”

Jumping out the car, Rocky came around to the back, opening the door. “My gods, babe, is that a head coming out of your ass?”

His legs spread wide, Mal was perched on the edge of the seat. “I can’t see. I can just feel…”

“Yep. Yep. That’s a baby. Shit.” Rocky sounded panicked but he tore open the bag they’d lovingly packed, grabbing hold of the first thing that came to hand. “What do I do? Tell me what to do?”

“How the hell would I know!” Mal almost doubled over as the pain hit him again. “Catch it.” There was a whoosh in his insides, and then the pressure on his ass just disappeared. Panting, Mal looked at his mate.

Rocky was holding a small infant, covered in goo, with a red face and smushed features. “I think this one’s ours.” Rocky was crying, too.

“We’ve got another one.” Mal grunted as the pain hit him again. “Rocky, I think this one’s stuck. It’s the bigger one. He can’t…there’s not enough room. Rocky, the baby’s distressed, my wolf is panicking.”

Rocky’s wolf was clearly concerned as well. Rocky laid the first child on Mal’s chest, and said, “What do I do? Joe and Doc…they’re at least eight minutes away.”

“You’ve got to do it.” Mal’s face scrunched as the pain hit him again. “You’ve got to cut that baby out. Now.”

“Babe, I can’t hurt you. We don’t even have a damn aspirin for anesthetic, let alone a knife. It’s just five minutes more.”

“Rocky. Me and our baby will die without you. Give me your belt.”

Rocky yanked his still undone belt from the belt loops on his pants and handed it over.

“You’re going to use your claws, use your wolf’s senses, and you’re going to free our child. He needs you. I. Need. You.”

“The doc…” Rocky looked helplessly down the road but there was nothing but darkness.

“Do it.” Mal stuck the belt between his teeth, clamped down on it and closed his eyes.I trust you, babe.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mal was the most precious person in Rocky’s existence with the babies coming a close second. In his entire life Rocky never wanted to cause his mate harm, even on the times when he had in the past. But in the dim light of the cruiser, with nothing but darkness around them, Rocky’s wolf told him he had no choice. Their little one was struggling, and Rocky knew even if the birth didn’t kill Mal, losing their child would.

Do it. Do it. Do it.Mal’s voice was getting frantic in his head. Reaching over the front seat, Rocky was going to call Doc on the radio, but then his hand dropped. He was shaking.

Claws. I need claws.Rocky’s wolf was there, guiding his still shaky hand.Don’t let me kill him,Rocky prayed to the Fates.Don’t take away the one good thing in my life.Barely wanting to look but knowing he had to, Rocky slashed across the underneath of Mal’s heaving belly, leaving a long red gash.

Now what?

Reach in. Quick. Rocky, we’re losing him, you have to get him out.

Rocky wasn’t even sure he could look, but he knew that he had to. Mal’s face was bright red, although he was holding their first child as carefully as he could one armed. The other hand was gripping the side of the seat and Rocky could see claw marks in the leather.

Baby. Baby. I need to find a baby lump.It was right there, as though waiting for Rocky’s hand. Curling both hands underneath it, Rocky tugged, praying he wasn’t damaging Mal’s insides.

Pulling the baby free of Mal’s stomach, Rocky could see the little one was not doing well. His face was more purple than red, and his body seemed limp in comparison to the other one.

Clear his nose and mouth,Mal instructed through their bond,and then gently blow on his face.

His? Oh, yes.Swallowing the bile in his own throat, Rocky worked quickly, clearing the gunk from around his son’s nose, and hooking his finger into the baby’s mouth and bringing out more goo.Please be all right, baby,Rocky prayed as he started blowing gently in the little one’s nostrils.You’ve got so much to look forward to, so much life to live.

Seconds seemed like hours. Rocky blew, waiting a count of three and then blew again. In between time he rubbed the baby’s body with his hands, trying to stimulate his son’s desire to live. Just when Rocky was sure nothing he was doing was working, he rubbed his son’s back, and the baby hiccupped. In the next breath, he started to wail.

“You did it, babe.” Mal had tears streaming down his face. “You saved our sons.”

“Two of them. We got them both.” Rocky found a second blanket and wrapped their bigger boy in that to keep him warm. “Babe, are you all right?”

“I think I can hear Joe’s cruiser.” Mal tilted his head slightly. “Can you cover my stomach please? I can barely think because of the pain and I’m bleeding everywhere.”

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