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.

isn’t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the

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

his pistol, but he has both hands in the air in

from James to me

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

me as I hit the ground, forcing

look up to see James grabbing

fingers as he

the shock of seeing James bleeding out

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

nearly as panicked

then I watch in horror as Marco consoles his

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

head.I can feel the tears stinging my eyes as I pull myself up.I can’t catch my breath as I crawl next to

done?

usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy and

Goddess, I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I

a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his shoulder, surrounded by a

with disbelief in

looks at me and shakes

opens and closes, but nothing comes

concentrate.We

calm at all.I wipe

my energy, Kas.Let’s go," she

pull James’s hands away

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

distance, I can hear and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving James’s life.I send my energy out

I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking

to their touch, intense

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

voice, but I

Delilah’s

sound so familiar? I

through the doorway into the dark room, making it impossible to see

we?" I ask

have important visitors," her tone is full

woman is crouching next to the cot I'm laying on.I jolt

eyes adjust to the bright light from the doorway.I try to

little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy, but nothing

to focus to slow time down a

out the door and no one gets hurt.I try

see if there is a way to escape around them, but

minute? Is that who I think

I ask as her outline becomes more clear with

"No, I’m not

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

toward me.Her long chocolate brown hair is in dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her look older