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 knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door open and comes

just James! You’re

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

eyes are wide, darting from James to me as

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

the ground,

up to see James grabbing

fingers as

at the shock of

and drops to his knees,

isn’t nearly as panicked

links someone, then I watch in

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

feel the tears stinging my eyes as I

have I done?

his usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy and

so sorry.Can I heal you, please,

able to stop the tears now.I force down a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his shoulder, surrounded by a growing pool of blood that soaking

James with disbelief in his watery

he looks at me and shakes his head

mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes

concentrate.We

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

energy, Kas.Let’s go," she whines,

James’s hands away from

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

people around me, but they all fade away as I

that I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking

an energy to their touch, intense but familiar and

do I feel like a truck hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can

voice, but I can’t

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

sound so familiar? I

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

where are we?"

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

jolt up and push myself as far

from the doorway.I try to send energy

if I can burn her a little, she will back away.I concentrate on my

to

women in time, I can escape out the

is a way to escape around them, but the only exit is the

minute? Is that who I

clear with Lenora’s strong features

annoyed, "No, I’m not Lenora.Are you

on the floor in front of the cot.I

chocolate brown hair is in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet