Page 128 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

He nods and steps aside.

Carefully, so fucking carefully, with my back to the wall, I inch down the corridor in the direction of where Mary’s being held. I hear her voice before I can see her.

“Duke’s gone. Please, Susie, get me to the hospital now. Or call 911 and disappear.”

“Oh shut your moaning,” the unsympathetic voice replies, and I hear footsteps walking back and forth.

“Oh!” A gut-wrenching exclamation of pain comes, accompanied by audible heavy breathing. “Susie, if you’ve any humanity in you, get me some help now. I’m in labour.” My Mary sounds desperate as I inch closer, having to fight my instincts to run straight in.

“Duke told me to stay here. Anyway, women have had babies since the beginning of time. You’ve got a daughter. You must remember the mechanics.”

“That was eighteen years ago! Oh hell, here’s another one.” A suppressed groan reaches my ears. I take advantage and move nearer.

No rushing now,I tell myself. Susie will be armed. But everything in me just wants to get to my old lady and damn any consequences to myself.

Lost, so close behind me I can hear him breathing, taps me on the shoulder. As I turn, he points first to me then jerks his head left where Mary’s voice had come from, then to himself and his head moves to the right indicating he’ll go for Susie. He then holds up three fingers and counts down. Three… two… one.

I burst in, throwing myself in front of Mary as Lost, taking advantage of her surprise, kicks the gun out of Susie’s hand. He’s been none too gentle about it.

“You broke my fucking arm!” she screams out.

Vaguely, I’m aware of the room filling as Preacher, Scribe, Brakes, Deuce and Snips rush in, but I’ve only got eyes for my old lady.

“About fucking time, Grumbler,” is her greeting to me. “I thought you’d never turn up. The baby’s coming.”

No thanks for saving her life. I’d roll my eyes if the situation weren’t so dire. Instead, I lean down, grimacing when I see the reddened mark on her cheek. Duke’s going to pay, I think, as I go to pick her up.

“Wait!” she cries out. Her face contorts and her breathing comes fast.

I fucking hate seeing her hurting. I wait only for that contraction to pass, then gently lift her into my arms, carrying her bridal style. I’ve got to get her to the hospital.

“I’m too heavy.”

It’s true, with the weight of the baby she’s heavier than she was, but that’s not going to stop me. “Clear out of the way!” I shout, as I manoeuvre my way through the now crowded room. “Scribe, you need to drive us.”

Scribe runs ahead, pausing to hold the street door open for me, then does the same to the back door of the truck. I have to pause before putting Mary in, as another contraction hits. Surely they shouldn’t be coming this fast?

I hate the way her face twists with the pain, how her hands clutch at my cut. She hadn’t been meant to feel any of this. Birthing for her was meant to be easy.

When the strong muscle movements that had made her so tense start to fade, I lift her into the truck and slide in beside her.

“Drive,” I instruct Scribe.

Not more than a few minutes later, Mary screams, “Stop!”

Scribe does so, screeching to a halt at the side of the road.

“What?” I turn to her. “Mary, there’s no time, we’ve got to—”

“The baby’s coming, Grumbler. Take a look. Tell me I’m wrong.” Mary’s body goes rigid again.

Take a look?I’m no fucking doctor. What do I know what I’m looking for? But as her hand grips at me, and her eyes widen in panic, I know I’ve got to step up.

“Lie back, let me see.” Scribe’s got the door open. I get myself out so she can have the whole of the back seat.

When she’s manoeuvred herself leaning against the opposite door, and has her feet on the seat with her knees drawn apart, I lift the skirt of her maternity nightgown she was wearing when she was taken. Using my knife, I slice off her panties. And oh, fuck me. Her vagina is bulging. When she starts to scream, a nightmare commences in front of me when a fucking alien starts to come out.

I’m going to be scarred for life.

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