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.

himself? Why isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door open and comes

It's just

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

to me

The split second of distraction is enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw me over top of him, flat

out of me as I hit the ground, forcing me to

to see James

out between his fingers as he falls to

and claws retract at the shock of seeing

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

isn’t nearly as panicked as

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

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

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

I done? There’s so much

usually cheerful blue eyes

I heal you, please, James? Please! Just blink if it's okay for me to

me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to

looks at James with

looks at me and

mouth opens and closes,

concentrate.We can do

state to her as calmly as I can, which isn’t very calm at all.I wipe my tears away with my sleeve

go," she whines,

James’s hands

continues to pour out in spurts from the gaping wound.I feel like someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage

hear and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving

I tore in half.I feel someone

their touch, intense

come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a

but

Iokaste, except for Delilah’s

woman sound so familiar? I slowly

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

we?" I

important visitors," her

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

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

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

to focus to

women in time, I can escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try to focus, but

Goddess.I’m trapped.I look around to see if there is a way to escape around them, but the only

minute? Is that who I

ask as her outline becomes more clear with Lenora’s strong features and

"No,

other woman, who is sitting on the floor in front

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