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

Luna, please! It's just James!

his pistol, but he has both hands in the air in front of him, showing he doesn’t

me as he takes slow,

grab me

as I hit the ground, forcing me to

to see James

between his fingers as he

retract at the shock of

drops to his knees,

as panicked as it should

over as he mind links someone, then I watch in

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

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

I done? There’s

usually cheerful blue eyes look glassy

so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James? Please! Just blink if it's okay for me to

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

at James with disbelief in his watery

me and shakes his head

and closes, but nothing

concentrate.We can do

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

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

hands away from his

my heart as I see the

away as I focus on saving

that I tore in half.I feel someone gently

their touch, intense but familiar

As I come out of the darkness of sleep,

know that voice, but I

Iokaste, except for Delilah’s mom, Lady Camille.It

this woman sound so familiar?

through the doorway into the dark room, making it

where are we?" I ask

Kas.You have important visitors," her tone is full

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

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

if I can burn her a little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy, but

try to focus to slow

the door and

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

that who I think it

becomes more clear

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

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

pulled back into a ponytail.She has scarlet