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, Marco throws the apartment door open

just James! You’re gonna to kill

pistol, but he has both hands in the air in

me as he takes slow,

to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw

the ground, forcing me to dislodge my

up to see James grabbing

his fingers as he falls to

shock of seeing James bleeding

races over to James’ side and drops to his knees, "James, stay with

nearly as

someone, then I watch in horror as Marco consoles his

I done? What have I done? "Kas, don’t just

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

done?

is pale, his usually cheerful

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

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

looks at James with disbelief in his

looks at me

mouth opens and closes,

concentrate.We

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

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

gently pull James’s hands away from his

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

distance, I can hear and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving James’s

I tore in

to their touch, intense but familiar

I feel like a truck hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear

know that voice, but I

except for Delilah’s mom, Lady Camille.It

woman sound so familiar? I

bright light is shining through the doorway into the dark room,

are we?" I ask

Kas.You have important visitors," her tone is

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

eyes adjust to the bright light from the doorway.I try to send energy to my

little, she will back

to focus to slow time down a

I can escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I

way to escape around them,

Is that who I think

becomes more clear with Lenora’s

woman looks annoyed, "No, I’m not

in front of the cot.I look more

metal 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 look older