Read Online A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford - Free Book Online Page B

before they had a chance to fall. Now she felt nothing but hollow.
    “You’re not afraid of me after last night, are you?” Kristen leaned forward, raising an eyebrow in amusement. She took Eden’s silence for a no and catapulted herself out of the chair. “Wonderful! I thought perhaps you’d like to go somewhere with me.”
    Eden’s brow wrinkled. “What, outside?”
    “This isn’t a prison, Eden.” With a glance up the stairs, Kristen cupped the side of her hand around her mouth and stage-whispered, “At least not to you,” her over-theatrical wink laced with sarcasm.
    “Which is why you locked me in last night?”
    “Oh, Eden. Let’s not be bitter about last night. I’d like you to feel at home during your stay here.”
    “And how long will that be?”
    “Long enough,” Kristen offered as a non-answer.
    “Where’s Gabe?” Eden asked, knowing there wouldn’t be an answer. If he had left her here, he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get back. Maybe it was because of what happened to Az. “Is he Upstairs?”
    Kristen raised an eyebrow. “You mean a lot to Gabriel. He cares about you.”
    Eden nodded, unsure where Kristen planned to go with the conversation. “He’s my friend. I want to makesure he’s okay. We just lost Az.” She hesitated, forced herself to stop. “You keep saying you know him, but you don’t seem to know anything about him.”
    Kristen’s stare was piercing. “I don’t give away his secrets to those I don’t trust. Knowledge is power, Eden, and Gabriel is important to me. You’ll forgive me if I’m not as loose with sensitive information as you.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Eden couldn’t keep the frustration from her voice. She felt like she was in some nightmare. That she’d wake up curled next to Az in the bed at the hotel. But dreams were painless. The ache in her chest drummed reality against her rib cage with every beat. She’d never wake up next to Az.
    “Last night you told Madeline you were with Az. His girlfriend,” Kristen said.
    “So? I—” Eden cut off, not sure what tense to use. Am his girlfriend? Was his girlfriend?
    “Did you even stop to wonder if Madeline might be loyal to the Fallen before you babbled away?” Kristen shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. It seemed directed at herself rather than Eden.
    “She told the Fallen about me?” Eden managed. Her heart hammered. “Gabe trusted you and you gave me right to Madeline?”
    Kristen’s eyes flashed anger. “Luckily the girl can be bought, so she’s keeping your secret for now. Cameronshould never have allowed you to talk to her. It’s important that the Fallen believe you died on that beach. It was important that she see you. Important that she thought you were just another Sider. But you went and spoiled it. You don’t understand what they will do to you, just to hurt him.”
    “If Az is dead, what does it matter?”
    Kristen’s look was even. “You’re a liability, Eden. I don’t particularly adore you being here. Not until I see you can be trusted.”
    “So this is that whole ‘welcoming’ thing you keep talking about?” Eden snipped. “Because I can go.”
    “Where? I don’t know what he sees in you, but I promised Gabriel I’d keep you in one piece.” Kristen smirked, walking toward the front door. “We’re going to start over with some girl bonding. Bonding builds trust. I’ve had quite the exhausting morning. I thought we’d unwind with some window-shopping.”
    Now it was Eden’s turn to stare. “You want me to go shopping with you?”
    “We won’t be bringing anything home today, just looking. But it’ll grant me the opportunity to kill two birds.”
    Eden shadowed her down the steps, following the path to the sidewalk. When she glanced back, she caught her first view of the house from outside. It offered no hint to what went on behind the closed door.
    “Come, come,” Kristen hummed, snapping her fingers.“I must admit, I