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.

me? Just as his knees hit the ground, Marco throws

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

he has both hands in the air in front of

eyes are wide, darting from James to me as

up, grab me by the shoulders,

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

look up to see

between his fingers as he falls

the shock of seeing

drops to his

nearly as panicked as it should

then I watch

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

in my 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? There’s so

face is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes

so sorry.I’m so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James? Please! Just

not 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

looks at James with

me

opens and closes, but

Lex.Let’s concentrate.We can do

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

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

hands away

see the extent of the damage

I can hear and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving

in half.I

to their touch,

come out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling me, "Iokaste...Kas...Time

but I can’t

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

this woman sound so familiar?

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

where are we?" I ask

Kas.You have important visitors," her tone

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

from the doorway.I try to send energy to my

little, she will back away.I concentrate on

try to focus to slow time

can freeze these two women in time, I can escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try

escape around them, but the only exit is

Is that who I

outline becomes more clear

woman looks annoyed, "No,

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

pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her