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.

isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit

James! Luna, please! It's just

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

eyes are wide, darting from James to me

grab me by the shoulders, and throw me

me as I hit the ground, forcing

up to see

out between his fingers as he falls to

and claws retract at the shock of seeing

to James’ side and drops

nearly as panicked as it should

mind links someone, then I watch in horror as Marco

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

my eyes as I pull myself

I done? There’s

usually cheerful blue eyes look

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

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

with disbelief in his watery

looks at me and shakes his head

and closes,

concentrate.We can do

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

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

gently pull James’s hands away

from the gaping wound.I feel like someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage my claws made.I place my hands over

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

in half.I feel someone gently shaking me

energy to their touch, intense but familiar

I come out of the darkness of

know that voice, but I

except for Delilah’s mom, Lady

does this woman sound so familiar?

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

where are we?"

visitors," her tone is

laying on.I jolt up and push myself as

from the

little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy, but

to slow time down a

women in time, I can escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try to focus, but again, nothing

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

that who I

outline becomes more clear

woman looks annoyed, "No, I’m not Lenora.Are you

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

wine glass toward me.Her long chocolate brown hair is in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her