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

It’s James! Luna, please! It's just James! You’re

the air in front of him, showing

darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate steps towards

enough for the intruder to reach up, grab

of me as I hit the ground, forcing me to dislodge my claws from his

look up to see James

his fingers

fangs and claws retract at the shock of seeing James

drops to his knees, "James, stay with

as panicked as it

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

done? "Kas, don’t just sit there.Heal

yells in my head.I can feel the tears stinging my eyes as I pull myself

I done?

his usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy

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

looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his shoulder, surrounded

looks at James with disbelief in

he looks at me and shakes his

and closes, but nothing comes

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We

which isn’t very calm at all.I wipe my

all my energy, Kas.Let’s go," she

James’s hands away

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

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

I tore in half.I

their touch, intense but familiar and

out of the darkness

know that voice, but I can’t place

except for Delilah’s

sound so familiar?

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

we?"

visitors,"

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

the doorway.I try

a little, she will back away.I concentrate on

try to focus to slow

freeze these two women in time, I can escape out the door and no one

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

Is that who I think

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

woman looks annoyed, "No,

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

pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her look older than she