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.

he defending himself? Why isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the ground,

please! It's just James! You’re gonna to

but he has both hands in the air in

are wide, darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate steps towards

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

of me as I hit the ground, forcing me to

see

fingers as

fangs and claws retract at the shock of seeing James bleeding out from

races over to James’ side and drops to

as panicked as it

links someone, then I watch in horror

done? "Kas, don’t just

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

done? There’s

cheerful blue eyes look glassy and

Goddess, I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James? Please! Just blink if

stop the tears now.I force down a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next

at James with disbelief

at me and shakes his head

opens and closes, but nothing

concentrate.We can do

which isn’t very calm at all.I wipe my tears away with my

energy, Kas.Let’s go," she whines, seeing

James’s hands away from

pour out in spurts from the gaping wound.I feel like someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage

people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send

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

their touch, intense but familiar

I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling me,

but I can’t

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

so familiar? I

the dark room,

we?" I

Kas.You have important visitors," her tone

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

light from the doorway.I

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

weird.I try to focus to slow time

women in time, I can escape out the door and no

a way to escape around them, but the

that who I think

her outline becomes more clear

"No, I’m not Lenora.Are you

to the other woman, who is sitting on the floor in front of the cot.I look more carefully at the woman in front of

in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her look