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 fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door open and

please! It's just James! You’re

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

eyes are wide, darting from James to me as

grab

knocked out of me as I hit the ground, forcing

to see James grabbing his

gushing out between his fingers as he

and claws retract at the shock of

races over to James’ side and drops

voice isn’t nearly as panicked as it should

mind links someone, then I watch in horror

I done? What have I done? "Kas, don’t

feel the tears stinging my eyes as I

have I done?

his usually cheerful blue

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

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

with disbelief in his watery

he looks at me and shakes his head

and closes, but nothing comes

concentrate.We

very calm at all.I wipe my tears away with

she whines, seeing James fading

James’s hands away from

wound.I feel like someone is squeezing my heart as I see

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

tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking

is an energy to their touch, intense but familiar and

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

know that voice, but I can’t

for Delilah’s mom,

this woman sound so

the doorway into the dark room, making it

where are we?"

visitors," her tone is full of

to the cot I'm laying on.I jolt up and

eyes adjust to the bright light from the

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

weird.I try to focus to

time, I can escape out the door and

to escape

that who I think it is?

more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature black

looks annoyed, "No, I’m

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

is in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as