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.

as his knees hit the

just James! You’re gonna to

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

from James to me as

intruder to reach up, grab me

hit the ground, forcing me to dislodge my claws

up to see James grabbing his

fingers as

fangs and claws retract at the shock of seeing James bleeding out from

and drops to his knees, "James, stay with me,

as panicked

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

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

stinging my eyes as I

I done?

cheerful blue eyes look

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

the tears now.I force down a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his

James with disbelief

me and

opens and closes, but nothing

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can

I can, which isn’t very calm at all.I

all my energy, Kas.Let’s go," she whines, seeing

James’s hands away

is squeezing my heart as I see the extent of the damage my claws made.I place my hands

all fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send my energy out into his body,

that I tore in half.I feel someone

their touch, intense

come out of the darkness of sleep,

know that voice, but

me Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady Camille.It definitely isn’t her

does this woman sound so familiar?

into the dark room, making it impossible to see

we?"

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

jolt up and push myself as far away from her as

from the doorway.I try to send energy to my

I can burn her a little, she will back away.I

focus to slow time

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

trapped.I look around to see if there is a way to escape

who I think it

more clear with Lenora’s strong

looks annoyed, "No, I’m not Lenora.Are

points to the other woman, who is sitting on the floor in front of the cot.I look more carefully

in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin