The Lesbian Gene (Lesbian, Gay, GirlxGirl)

Chapter 20: Her

Audra, meanwhile, slid to the ground. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop Neil from doing that to you," she reminded. "I'm sorry for everything, Pax."

My stomach turned. I hadn't forgotten about that.

But I let her continue. "After we were separated, it didn't take long before Neil, Hanz, and I were arguing. Well. . . It was more like Hanz and I were arguing with Neil. But Neil didn't want to budge and tell us where you were."

Typical. It was just like Neil to be a class-A bitch. But as usual, as with her and Audra's relationship, I was silent and acted like it was nothing, while I began to run my hands on the wall, trying to search for a hanging key.

"So. . ." Audra cleared her throat. "We began to look for you. I began to look for you— I insisted on it. But even before we got out of that damn sewer chamber, a group of men attacked us. We would have survived if there weren't so many."

I stopped. Group? What group?

"Tracers?" I said.

"No. Dante and his men."

I swiveled to Audra. From the looks of it, she was telling the truth.

"Dante, remember?" she reminded. "That guy that Hanz was talking about?"

"Dante, the store owner?"

"Exactly the same guy."

My hands fisted on their own. I hadn't even made the connection thinking that they just had the same name. What were the chances? And why didn't he tell me that Audra was here?

I was made to look like a fool. A stupid girl.

"Did you tell him that your name was Audra?" I asked to be sure.

Audra chuckled, though humorlessly. "I'm pretty sure Hanz called my name out before he was hunted and injured by a group of their men. The three of us. . . We were separated while trying to escape. Then I—" She flinched. Audra never flinched, much less grab onto her stomach.

Immediately, I returned to her, knelt. "What's wrong?" I said. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I. . ."

She didn't continue, but somehow I understood. "Lift your shirt," I said.

"What?"

"Please, I need to see."

"It's not that bad."

"Please. . ."

Her eyes went to mine, and I could see the resolve slowly faltering.

Eventually, she began to remove her jacket, then lifted her shirt a fraction.

I gasped when I saw the developing pus on her skin.

"You're wounded!" I said.

"Neil tends to tell me that I'm too tough for my own good," Audra answered.

My hands balled into fists again. How could she be cool and collected at this time? There was a beginning infection from a small wound on her stomach, for Christ sakes!

My hand went to her forehead, and I was scared of what I felt. She was burning hot. Crap.

"That awful, huh?" Audra was back to her composed self when she spoke. Meanwhile, I. . . I wanted to hurt someone. Dante, the freaking snake, preferably.

Yet Audra grabbed my wrist before I could stand up. "Don't," she said. "I don't know what's going on. But don't yet."

"I need to confront him."