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.

as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws the apartment door

please! It's just James!

has both hands in the

darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate steps towards

to reach up, grab me by the shoulders, and

knocked out of me as I hit the ground, forcing me to dislodge my claws from his

look up to see James grabbing

gushing out between his fingers as he falls to the

at the shock of seeing James bleeding out from his

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

nearly as

he mind links someone, then I watch in horror

I done? "Kas, don’t just sit

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

have I done? There’s so much

face is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy and

Oh my Goddess, I’m so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James? Please! Just blink if it's okay for

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 into

with disbelief

me and shakes his

closes, but nothing

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can do

isn’t very calm at all.I wipe my tears away with

Kas.Let’s go," she whines,

James’s hands away

someone is squeezing my heart as I see the extent

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

that I tore in half.I

an energy to their touch,

hit me? As I come out of the darkness of sleep, I

that voice, but I can’t place

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

does this woman sound so familiar? I slowly open my

dark room, making it impossible to see anything

where are we?" I

important visitors," her tone is

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

the bright light from the doorway.I try to send

a little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy,

focus to slow time down

can escape out the door

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

Is that who I think

becomes more clear with Lenora’s strong features and signature black

looks annoyed, "No, I’m not Lenora.Are

is sitting on the floor in front of the cot.I look

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