Page 65 of Serendipity

27

CAIN

The sound of Sera’s scream chilled me to my very bones. She made a god-awful groaning noise, and I wanted to rip the doctor away, even though my brain logically knew he wasn’t causing her pain.

Even Goliath had moved into the room, the look on his face murderous.

“I need you to stop pushing, Serendipity. The wings can’t get down the birthing canal. We are going to have to do a c-section. I don’t want you to worry, though. Emergency c-sections happen every day.” He turned to Solomon. “I’ll need vodka. Water, towels.”

He looked back at Sera, who’s face had gone from a flushed red to a ghostly pale. “Normally, I would suggest this is the part where we go to a hospital, but I understand that isn’t an option. It just means that I’m going to have to do this without the benefit of an operating room or decent anesthesia. I can probably give you some morphine but that can cause some issues in newborns.”

She gritted her teeth. “I’ll be fine. Just get the baby out,” she ground out. Solomon reappeared with hot water and towels, and a bottle of Grey Goose. At least he was using the good stuff.

I wrapped my hand in Sera’s. She gripped my hand like I was her last anchor to her sanity and I held her steady. “I got you, Baby. I’m here with you, we all are. I love you so much. You’ll be fine. I refuse to let you be anything else,” I said, kissing the side of her head as she breathed through another crushing contraction. The doctor was gloved and ready in seconds, standing over her with a scalpel.

I prayed to God, something I hadn’t done since before Laura died and I sold my soul to the Devil.

Let them be okay.

“Are you ready, Serendipity? I’m just making the incision now.”

His scalpel pressed down against her skin, but nothing happened. “What the ever lovin’ fuck?” Eli whispered to himself, as he tried again. Still, the scalpel refused to pierce her skin.

She screamed again, the sound reverberating around the room like she was being murdered. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Goliath leapt forward, handing the doctor the switchblade from his boot. “Try this.”

Eli didn’t argue, which was a point in his favor, but when he pressed the knife against her stomach, nothing happened. It seemed to pierce the top layers of her skin, but didn’t even dent her womb. The whole thing healed up in seconds.

Jesus.

“It’s like her stomach is made of titanium. Barely scratches the surface,” Eli said, panic edging his voice. He seemed so self assured, that his panic made me fucking go nuts.

Marco pushed at Solomon, furiously signing. Solomon looked at the doctor. “Marco says she

definitely isn’t impenetrable. She was covered in cuts and injuries when she came out of Purgatory.”

Judas’ jaw tensed. “It must be the baby, protecting itself. Who fucking knows?” He sounded wild and uncontrolled, like he saw his happiness slipping away from him again. No, it can’t happen again.

“The wings are too wide to get down the birthing canal.” The doctor's eyes flicked around, like he was trying to find answers in the corners of the room. “I can try and remove them in the womb. There is a chance the baby would not make it. There is a chance that Serendipity wouldn’t make it. If the baby tries to force its way out, it may get stuck, or tear her in half. I don’t know what I’m dealing with here. There’s a chance the baby is properly immortal and I couldn’t slice his wings at all, which means I would be permanently injuring the patient for no good reason.”

Judas stood, grabbing Eli’s arms. “Save her, or so fucking help me, I’ll make you wish you were dead,” he growled.

The doctor didn’t even blink at the threat. “Son, I’ve met beings that would make you shit your pants. Your threats don't compel me to save her any more than I want to right now. I want them both to live.”

Goliath came to her other side while they stood around arguing what was the best thing to do. He squatted beside the bed. “I knew you were going to be the fucking end of us as soon as I saw you,” he growled at her, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He looked like a cornered animal staring down the barrel of a gun. Sera was moaning like she was being torn apart, and he flinched as if every ounce of her pain was inflicted on him. “You better fucking fight and prove me wrong, woman, or so help me God, I will chase you into the bowels of Hell myself and make sure you never get any rest. Fight, Serendipity. Don’t pussy out on me now.”

Her wild, pain-addled violet eyes met his, and she gritted her teeth and nodded. Goliath reached out and stroked her face. “Good girl. You’re so fucking tough. You can do this.”

She squeezed my hand so hard I could feel the bones in them crack. I didn’t care. I would smash every bone in my body to take away her pain. “Tell them to save the baby. Fucking get a ….argh, a chainsaw and cut me in half if you have to. Look after it for me,” she gritted out, aiming her words at Goliath, because there was no fucking way I was making that promise and she knew it. If she died, I was following behind her, even if we weren’t going to the same place. I couldn’t do that pain again, and Sera, she had all my heart.

Goliath nodded and I wanted to rip his head off. But she was screaming again and it was all I could do not to kill every fucker in this room until someone came up with an answer. I couldn’t fight this one, couldn’t threaten the problem away. I just had to pray, and that didn’t come fucking naturally to any of us.

“We need help,” Eli said. “We only have one choice. You need to make a bargain with the Devil.”

I jumped to my feet. Fucking done. I’d sell my soul over and over to him if it saved her. “Lucifer, I wish to make a bargain,” I yelled at the ceiling. “Lucifer, I fucking need you right now. Please.” I’d beg if I had to. I’d get down on my knees and let him flay me alive if it would save her.

Lucifer appeared in the corner, no smoke or fire or fanfare. “I should have known I would see you sooner rather than later. I ignored you bastards for decades, and suddenly you’ve become clingy.”

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