Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Chapter 16

Kas’s POV

According to the clock, it’s one in the afternoon.

My stomach growling rouses me out of bed.

Before he left, Bronx said Mrs.Miller was going to bring food up to the apartment.

Seems as good a time as any to go see what goodies she brought up.

I go into the walk-in closet and find a pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt.

As I’m getting dressed, my mind churns with the events from yesterday, trying to put some sense to all of it.

How did I end up in the pool in the first place? Where have I been for the last four days? I think they are questions best thought about over a turkey sandwich and hopefully a banana.I put my hair up ina floppy bun before I head out to the kitchen.

As I get to the bedroom door, I smell someone’s scent.

It definitely isn’t Bronx’s dark chocolate and coffee scent that I love so much, besides, he told me he was going to the office.

This scent is out of place in my home and I'll be damned if I’m disappearing for another four days.

My brain immediately switches from questions of my disappearance to defense mode.

I let my fangs and claws extend, ready to attack as I slowly, quietly crack the door open.

A large man is standing half-way between the bedroom door and the sofa with his back facing me.

He is in jeans and a white t-shirt with his arms crossed in front of him as if he’s waiting for something.

All the training James and Marco have given me over the past year floods into my brain.

If I can get a foot planted on the small of his back, I can get leverage over him and try to bring him down.

"Kas, what are you doing?" Lex hisses at me.

"Attacking a man who broke into my apartment.I’m not getting kidnapped again, Lex.What do you think I’m doing?" I snap.

"Kas, that’s just-"

"Not now, Lex," I interrupt.

Before she can respond again, I let a purple aura build around me.I suppress a growl as I launch myself at the man from behind.

One foot securely lands on the small of his back while my knee is between his shoulder blades, giving me leverage to lean back without falling off of him.

My hands wrap tightly around his thick neck at the same time.He lets out a strangled cry as my claws bury deep into his windpipe.He grabs my wrists and starts to pull, but not enough to throw me off of his back.

The growl I was suppressing lets loose from my chest, making the room rumble as he grabs me.I start to push my claws deeper into his neck, pulling them back toward my body at the same time.I can feel his pulse quicken against my fingertips as I get closer to his jugular.

The metallic scent of blood is thick in the air as he drops to his knees.

Something's wrong.

me? Just as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door

It's just James! You’re gonna to kill

his pistol, but he has both hands in the air in front of him, showing he

darting from James to me

enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw me over top of him, flat on my

hit the ground,

look up to see James grabbing his

his fingers as he falls

at the shock of seeing James bleeding out

James’ side and drops to his knees, "James, stay

isn’t nearly as panicked as it

someone, then

my Goddess! What have I done? What have I done? "Kas, don’t just sit there.Heal him before it’s too

eyes as I pull myself up.I can’t catch my breath

have I done? There’s so much

his usually cheerful blue

no no no! Oh my Goddess, I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James? Please! Just

a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position

James with disbelief in his

he looks at me

opens and closes, but nothing

concentrate.We can

state to her as calmly as I can, which isn’t very calm at all.I wipe

my energy, Kas.Let’s go," she whines, seeing James fading on

gently pull James’s hands away

like someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage my claws made.I place

fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send my energy out into

flesh, repairing tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking

is an energy to their touch, intense but familiar

feel like a truck hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling

that voice, but I can’t

one calls me Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady

does this woman sound so familiar? I

the doorway into the dark room, making it impossible to see anything except her

we?"

have important visitors," her tone is full

woman is crouching next to the cot I'm laying on.I jolt up and push myself as far

adjust to the bright light from the doorway.I try to

I can burn her a little, she will back away.I concentrate on

to slow time

escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try to

if there is a way to escape around them, but the

who I think it

her outline becomes more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature

woman looks annoyed, "No,

on the floor in front of the cot.I look more carefully at the woman in front

pulled back into