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.

as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door

It's just James! You’re gonna

both hands in the air in front of

wide, darting from James to me

The split second of distraction is enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the

out of me as I hit the ground, forcing me

see James grabbing his

is gushing out between his fingers as he falls

shock of seeing James bleeding out

drops to his knees, "James,

as panicked as it

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

I done? "Kas, don’t just sit there.Heal him before it’s

my eyes as I pull

done?

usually cheerful blue eyes

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

looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his shoulder, surrounded

at James with disbelief in his

looks at me and shakes his head

closes, but nothing comes

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can

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

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

hands

squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage my claws made.I

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

in half.I feel

to their touch, intense but familiar and

hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I

that voice, but I can’t place

for Delilah’s mom,

sound so

into the dark

are we?" I ask

important visitors," her tone is

cot I'm laying on.I jolt up

the doorway.I try to send

a little, she will back

try to focus to slow time down

can escape out the door and no one

look around to see if there is a way to escape

minute? Is that who

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

woman looks annoyed, "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

back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises,