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.

Why isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the

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

has both hands in the air

wide, darting from James to me as he

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

hit the ground, forcing

see James grabbing

gushing out between his fingers

the shock of seeing James bleeding out from his

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

voice isn’t nearly as panicked as it

then I watch in

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

yells in my head.I can feel the tears stinging my eyes as I pull myself up.I can’t catch my

I done?

is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy

so sorry.Can I heal

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

at James with disbelief in his watery

at me and shakes his head

and closes,

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can do

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

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

hands away

heart as I see the extent of the damage my claws made.I place my hands over his neck and close my

but they all fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send my energy

in half.I feel someone gently shaking me

is an energy to their touch, intense but familiar

feel like a truck hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling me, "Iokaste...Kas...Time to wake

voice, but I can’t

Delilah’s

sound so

the doorway into the dark

are we?"

now, Kas.You have important visitors,"

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

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

she will back away.I concentrate on my energy,

weird.I try to focus to slow time

the door and no one gets hurt.I

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

minute? Is that who I

becomes more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature

looks annoyed, "No,

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

in dreadlocks pulled back into