Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future novel Chapter 115

“Tessa said she and Arnie can escort us to give everyone else a break, but only pack members who live in the packhouse, okay? If we leave the packhouse, we have to have extra security. Even if it is just the houses down the street,” Bronx lectures me after making a few phone calls.

 

“T'll take it. We can get everyone else tomorrow in the dining room,” I smile and throw my arms around his waist before I run on my toes to the shower to get myself ready for the day. I turn on the water in the shower and get undressed, take off all my jewelry, including my lavish, trackable, diamond dog collar, and place it all in the little velvet lined dish on the countertop. Oh sorry, I meant to say, the beautiful diamond necklace my husband had custom made, using the latest nanotechnology, so he could know where I am every second of every day.

 

I step into the shower and start washing my hair. As I'm massaging the shampoo into my hair, I hear Bronx call me.

 

“Baby? Did you take your necklace off? I got an alert,” he calls into the bathroom.

“Yeah,” I holler back over the noise of the shower, “I have to wash my hair. I didn’t want it to get full of conditioner. It's on the tray on the bathroom counter.”

 

“Okay, just checking,” he says before I hear the bathroom door close, "Please don't forget to put it on when you're done."

 

"No problem, Sweetheart,” I call back sweetly.

 

“Lex, how long was that?”

 

“Ninety-seven seconds. I thought it would be faster. Better give us a buffer, just in case” she advises.

 

“Yeah. That’s a good call. Ten seconds?” Inod and pout my lip as! rinse out the shampoo.

 

“I haven't been out in for a long time. I'm itching to go. Ten seconds is way more than enough. We just have to shift quickly.”

 

“Okay. You're not exaggerating, right? If you tell me ten seconds, I'm giving you ten seconds.”

 

“I can make it eight if you want,” she snarks back.

 

“Fine. Ten. You don't have to be a little bitch about it,” I huff at her.

 

“You don't have to be a little bitch,” she mimics in a mocking tone. I roll my eyes and cut off our connection before she makes me mad.

 

I rub the conditioner into my hair and pile it on top of my head. I close my eyes and think outside of my body, “ Leticia, are you there?”

 

“Hi Kas! Is it time?” Leticia asks excitedly.

 

“I'm in the shower. Be ready to take notes. I will recite the incantation as soon as I’m dressed.”

 

“Got it! You behave now, Kas. I only have two eyeballs left since you told me not to kill Bronx or Jasen,” she warns, but sounds more like she’s reciting the safety instructions airline stewards give before the flight takes off.

 

She changes her voice to sound like a moaning ghost with a giggle, “T'll be waatchiling youuuu.”

 

I smile and shake my head at her, “I'll see you tonight before I go to sleep.

 

Love you, Leticia.”

 

“Love you too, Kas!” she chimes happily as I pull myself back to my body and finish my shower.

 

I put on a thick sweater and black jeans, paired with a pair of trainers. Once I dry my hair, I put all my jewelry back on, including the necklace and a string bracelet with some of Leticia’s hair braided into it. I recite an incantation as I slide my fingers over the bracelet. It glows purple for a moment, and the vision in my left eye goes blurry. I blink hard a few times to adjust to the sensation of seeing double and look in the mirror. The dark circles under my eyes are more pronounced than they have been before, making my skin look pale. I haven’t weighed myself, but I feel like I may have lost weight.

 

My left eye looks bloodshot from the spell, which doesn't help my appearance any, but I know it will fade soon. I hide the bracelet under my sleeve and head out to meet Bronx so we can hand out boxes of baked goods around the packhouse.

 

“Kas, what happened to your eye?” Bronx asks when I meet him by the door. He takes my chin in his hands and gives me a concerned look.

 

“Oh, I got shampoo in my eye. Lex is already healing it. It will be better in no time,” I brush off his worry.

 

“Hi Tessa! Hi Arnie!” I smile and take her hand when we get into the hallway.

Arnie gives me a nod and greets Bronx. They get to work moving in and out of the apartment, stacking boxes onto a cart while I speak with Tessa.

 

“Hi Kas, how, uh, how are you feeling?” she asks, looking unsure of herself.

 

“I'm feeling much better. Thank you for asking. And how have you been? Bronx said you have been working closely with the team. Oh, would you like a cupcake?” I open the box in my hands and pull out a lemon cupcake with lavender icing for her.