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,

James! Luna, please! It's just James! You’re

hands in the air in front of him, showing he doesn’t

to me as he

of distraction is enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw me over top of

the ground, forcing me to dislodge

see James grabbing his

fingers as he falls to the

the shock of seeing

and drops to his knees, "James, stay with

isn’t nearly as panicked as

he mind links someone, then I watch in horror as Marco consoles his

I done? What have I done?

I pull myself up.I can’t catch

have I done? There’s so

cheerful blue eyes look glassy

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

looks at James with disbelief in his

he looks at me and shakes

mouth opens and closes,

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We

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

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

pull James’s hands

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

fade away as I focus

repairing tissue that I tore in

is an energy to their touch, intense but familiar

a truck hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling me, "Iokaste...Kas...Time

know that voice, but I can’t place

me Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady Camille.It

woman sound so familiar?

light is shining through the doorway into the dark room, making it impossible to

are we?" I

visitors," her tone is

to the cot I'm laying on.I jolt up and push myself as far away from

from the doorway.I try to send energy to

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

try to focus to slow time down a

time, I can escape out the

escape around them, but the only exit is the

minute? Is that who I think

more clear with Lenora’s strong features

"No, I’m not Lenora.Are

in front of the cot.I look more carefully at

brown hair is in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her look older than she must