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.

Why isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his

It's just James!

both hands in the air

darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate

distraction is enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me

gets knocked out of me as I hit the ground,

up to see

his fingers

retract at the shock of seeing James

side and drops to his knees, "James, stay

nearly as panicked as

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

Goddess! What have I done? What have I done? "Kas, don’t just sit there.Heal him before it’s too

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

done? There’s

is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look

Oh my Goddess, I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you, please,

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

looks at James with disbelief in his watery

at me and

mouth opens and closes, but

concentrate.We can do

which isn’t very calm

go," she whines, seeing James fading on

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 his neck and close my

and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send my energy out into his body, pulling

tore in

their

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

know that voice, but I

Iokaste, except for Delilah’s

does this woman sound so familiar? I slowly open my

doorway into the dark room, making it impossible to see anything except

are we?" I

have important visitors," her tone is

cot I'm laying on.I jolt up and push myself as far

bright light from the doorway.I try to send

little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy, but nothing

to slow time down

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

a way to escape around them, but the only exit is the door the woman is

a minute? Is that who

becomes more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature black

woman looks annoyed, "No, I’m not

is sitting on the floor in front of the cot.I

holding a 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 than she