Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Chapter 23

Kas's POV

I peek in through the little window of the hospital room.I can see James hooked up to machines, sleeping peacefully.

A strong pang of guilt courses through me when I see there are bandages around his neck.

Delilah is curled up in the chair that’s pulled up to the side of the bed.

She is holding his hand through the railing of the bed.

"You can’t talk to her from the hallway, Kas,"

Bronx whispers in my ear from behind me, "I'll wait here until you're ready.Just mind link me."

I nod, then take a deep breath.I quietly open the door and step inside the room.I close it behind me and take a step into the room.

Delilah's breath hitches in her sleep, but she doesn’t wake up.I take slow deliberate steps until I am next to the chair.I squat down and put my hand on her forearm.

"Delilah?" I whisper, "Wake up, please."

Her brow furrows as her eyes flutter open.Her deep sapphire blue eyes take a moment for her to recognize my face, but when she does, they immediately turn royal blue.She gasps and throws her arms tightly around me.

"Kas," she sobs in a loud whisper, "I was so worried about you! Are you okay?"

"Oh, Delilah, I’m fine now.I-I’m so sorry.I don’t know what came over me.You know I would never do this on purpose, right?"

I finally stop trying to hold back my tears.

This is my best friend.I can be myself with her, "I thought you would hate me.I didn’t think you would want to see me."

She pulls me back from her embrace and holds me by the shoulders with her long, spindly fingers.

Her eyes and nose are red and puffy from crying, but she looks relieved that I am there, "Kas, I could never hate you.Never.I know whatever happened must have been an accident.This is not you.Whatever happened yesterday, that was not you.I’m sure of it."

I breathe the enormous sigh as I feel the vice around my heart loosen just a little.I will never understand the mind of a pacifist, but I am grateful at this moment that my best friend is one.

"Delilah, when James wakes up, we can talk more about what happened, but I have a couple of questions.Bronx needs information that could be related to my kidnapping or maybe one of my past lives."

"I will help in any way I can.What do you need to know?" She looks at me attentively.

heard of a woman named Cora? Probably a witch or at least someone who can perform gray or dark magic that can manipulate a person’s mind.Bronx

is racking her brain, trying to remember anything about either

can ask

I feel

yeah.Beta Lenora and I thought it would be for the best for her to be here for a while.I hope you don’t mind," she looks at me apologetically, "We don’t know how she can help exactly, yet, but knowing her,

could have caused me to..." my voice trails

back at her, "We’re going to figure out what is going on here, Kas.We are all in this

and nod, "Delilah, Bronx and I would like to speak to

trouble with his voice.The doctor said something about his vocal chords.We are hoping his wolf helped heal it overnight.I used some of my healing magic, but we both know it isn’t the same as when you do it.We will know more when he

you can rouse him? I can step out and

me five minutes," she smiles, "Kas, I’m so glad to see you.I have missed you so much.I have so much to tell you once we wake James up." I give Delilah a little peck on the

in the hall and

eyes, "Well, how did it go?

waking James up now to make sure he is okay speaking with us.The doctor said there is a problem with his vocal chords,

how many people try to

you think he will let me finish healing

have to ask him and find out," he rubs my

hear the door

her head out,

sees the hesitation on my face, takes

remember from yesterday.He tries to mess with the bandages on his neck, but Delilah steps up and stops him, whispering about, waiting for

him to stop, she sits

head and regards him.He tips his head in

look at Bronx, then back at

think you're being

my hand.I step up to

next to him.I carefully climb up

until he is sure I will not finish whatever it was I was going to say, then he takes

my heart is completely removed now, "Alright

Kas.Let’s finish what

carefully peel back the

are not fully healed and bright red marks in the areas that were healed.You can see clearly defined

this right, James," I say, trying

gives a quick nod and closes his eyes

his throat and I begin to concentrate.I send as much of my essence as I can into him, blurring the lines of who he is

in to help

down to the molecular level, making sure there is no sign of infection before I pull myself back

and look