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

Stop! It’s James! Luna, please! It's just

in the air in front of him,

wide, darting from James to me

to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and throw me

as I hit the ground, forcing me

to see James grabbing his

fingers as he

the shock of seeing James bleeding

side and drops to

isn’t nearly as panicked as it should

someone, then

Goddess! What have I done? What have I done?

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

done? There’s so

is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look

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

and slowly blinks.I position myself next to his shoulder, surrounded by a growing pool

looks at James with disbelief in his

looks at me and shakes

mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes

concentrate.We can

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

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

pull James’s hands away from his

as I see the extent of the damage my

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 into his body,

repairing tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone

an energy to their touch, intense

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

but I

calls me Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady

this woman sound so familiar?

dark room, making it impossible to see anything except

where are we?" I ask

important visitors," her tone

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

from the doorway.I try to send energy to

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

to focus to slow time down

escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try to focus, but

to escape around them, but the only exit is the

who I think it is?

more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature black

woman looks annoyed, "No, I’m

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

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