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.

his

NO! Stop! It’s James! Luna, please! It's just James! You’re gonna to kill him!" he

pistol, but he has both hands in the air

are wide, darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate

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

hit the ground, forcing me to

see

between his fingers as he falls to the

at the shock of seeing James bleeding out from his

drops to his knees, "James, stay with

voice isn’t nearly as panicked as it should

then

my Goddess! What have I done? What have I done? "Kas, don’t just sit there.Heal

feel the tears stinging my eyes as I pull myself

done? There’s so much

cheerful blue eyes look glassy and

I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you,

down a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position

at James with disbelief in

looks at me and shakes

and closes, but nothing

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We

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

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

gently pull James’s hands away from

like someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of

all fade away as I focus on saving

tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone gently

is an energy to their touch,

As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling me, "Iokaste...Kas...Time

that voice, but I can’t

calls me Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady

woman sound so familiar? I slowly open

into the dark room, making

we?" I ask

now, Kas.You have important visitors," her tone is

is crouching next to the cot I'm laying on.I jolt up and push myself as far away from

to the bright light from the doorway.I try to send energy to

burn her a little, she will

to slow time

out the door and

way to escape around them, but

Is that who I think it

I ask as her outline becomes more clear with

"No,

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

dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her