Daughter of Gods and Shadows Read Online Free Page B

Khale. Mkombozi does.”
    The Shifter hadn’t visited Eden and Rose in more than a year, so the fact that she was coming now made Eden sick to her stomach.
    â€œIs this where you hide?”
    Shit! Eden immediately recognized Khale’s voice and visibly cringed. “It’s where I try to hide.”
    Khale sat down next to Eden. She had on a pair of baggy jeans, belted low on her petite hips, rolled into cuffs at the ankles, and a T-shirt with the words KISS ME, I’M MULTIRACIAL on the front.
    â€œYou keep trying to insult me, and I keep telling you that you’re not capable,” Khale said indifferently.
    Khale was a big deal among her kind. She was a big deal to Rose. Rose had told Eden that Khale had been Mkombozi’s mother and the one who had ultimately destroyed her. So, what did that make her to Eden? Just fuckin’ scary, that’s all.
    â€œAre you here to remind me again of how proud I should be about my lot in life?”
    Khale sipped on her coffee. “I’m afraid we’re out of time for all of that.”
    That sick feeling in Eden’s stomach turned into something else, something unexplainable—or maybe it was just plain fear. She didn’t want to talk to Khale, or be Mkombozi, or go out and find her Omens. She didn’t want any of this, but nobody seemed to give a damn.
    â€œI’m not doing it, Khale,” Eden told her. “You’re wasting your time.”
    â€œHe’s back, Eden,” Khale said, patiently. “The Seer, Apus, has seen it.” Apus was the Seer of present times, of things happening now.
    Eden could feel the heat from those oversize lenses burn against the side of her face as Khale stared at her, but she refused to look back at the Ancient.
    â€œSo what, he’s back?” she shot back. “I don’t give a damn that he’s back,” she said under her breath. He was a Demon called Sakarabru, the biggest, bad-assed beast who ever existed, according to Rose and Khale.
    â€œI know you’re scared.”
    Again with that condescending, over-the-top, forced “I feel ya girl” kindredness.
    â€œWow,” Eden said, unemotionally. “Ya think? What part of this crap shouldn’t be scary, Khale?”
    At the mention of Khale’s name, the beautiful and stylish cat-faced creature sauntered over to the two of them and bowed her gorgeous head in reverence to the very plain and unimpressive-looking Shifter before strolling off to the lower deck.
    â€œBut you have no choice.…”
    Eden looked at Khale like she wanted to punch her in the face. “Of course I do!” she said with unexpected and angry tears filling her eyes. “You think you can pull me out of the womb and mold me like clay. You and Rose think you can play games with my life and make me somebody I’m not, but it’s going to stop, Khale. It stops now.” Eden started to get up and leave, but Khale grabbed hold of her arm with her petite hand, locking her down with a surprisingly powerful grip.
    â€œFear is your enemy, Eden,” Khale said knowingly. “I’ve always known it would be, and I understand.”
    Frustration washed over her. “No, Khale. You don’t understand.” She stared in disbelief at the woman, wondering how in the world this crap had fallen in Eden’s lap and not in someone else’s. “You can’t tell me who I am. You shouldn’t tell me who I am because you never had that right. I was born. I had a mother. I had a father. I had a soul … my own soul.” Other passengers were starting to stare.
    â€œThe child that was born that night died, Eden, and all that was left was a vessel,” she said, keeping her voice low. “It was the vessel I needed.” She looked ashamed all of a sudden. It was unnatural to see shame in Khale’s eyes, because she was always so sure of herself.
    Eden couldn’t believe what she