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.

Just as his knees hit the ground,

Luna, please! It's just

holding his pistol, but he has both hands in the air in front of

me as he takes

enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw me over top of

the ground, forcing me to dislodge my claws from

up to see James

his fingers as he falls to

shock of seeing

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

voice isn’t nearly as panicked

he mind links someone, then

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

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

have I done? There’s so

is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy

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

me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his

with disbelief in his watery

looks at me

closes, but nothing

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can

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

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

James’s hands away

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 my claws made.I place

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

repairing tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking me

an energy to their touch, intense but familiar and

out of the darkness

that voice, but I can’t place

for Delilah’s

so familiar? I slowly

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

where are we?" I ask

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

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

light from the doorway.I

a little, she will back away.I concentrate

try to focus to slow time down

freeze these two women in time, I can escape out the door

escape around them, but the only exit

that who I think

more clear with Lenora’s strong

"No, I’m not

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

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