Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

"So, she's just gonna go...prepare to die?" Tyree asks, looking down the hall after Cora.

"Essentially, yeah," I frown, "Then I give birth to her."

All he can do is shake his head in disbelief. I leave him and go to Amari's door. We greet each other with a smile when she opens it.

"Kas! A-are you okay? You look like you've been crying," she pulls me into her room.

"I just said goodbye to Cora," I feel my lip tremble but remind myself what Cora said. It is temporary. I swallow back the lump in my throat, "Amari, I have a question about something you said to me."'

"Of course, darling. What is it?" She pulls two chairs and we sit down at the kitchenette table.

"The other day, you said I was an energy vampire. Lex said it's a slur, but what is it exactly? I have never heard of it before," lask calmly.

"Oh, that. Well, yes, Elexis is right. Itis a slur these days. I shouldn't have said it. The more politically correct term is energy empath," she places her hands on the table as she explains, tapping her fingers lightly, "Traditionally, an empath absorbs emotions of people around them. A lot of empaths don't realize it's even happening. They have to learn to control the absorption, otherwise they become overwhelmed, angry, or even depressed trying to manage emotions that are not even theirs."

"I've heard of an empath. So what is the difference between a traditional empath and an energy empath?" "Energy empaths don't absorb emotions, Kas. Someone like you absorbs another being's actual essence, abilities, or mysticism. If you're not careful, you could drain them of everything."

I wait for her to say more until I realize there is nothing more for her to say. A spark ignites in my heart as I comprehend what she's saying. I have another weapon in my arsenal.

"So, not that I would, but I could...kill someone by draining their energy?"

"In theory, yes. I don't know if that has ever happened, though. Energy empaths are extremely rare. Ina normal case, it's their only ability. As you know, you are not a normal case. I don't know what could happen," she shrugs with a sympathetic frown, "In other lifetimes, you would use this ability nefariously. That's not the case right now. I have never seen you this compassionate before."

This information is more powerful than she realizes. She doesn't know I have the abilities of the other Mavri Magea, too. I wonder how much energy I can absorb at one time? What effect would it have on me? How long does someone else's energy last? I put the questions aside at risk of sounding too eager.

"Do you think if I absorb someone's energy, they could recover?"

"Hmm, in typical cases, yes. I don't think an energy empath can absorb enough energy to prevent the victim from being able to regenerate. In an extreme case, it would leave the victim as a shell of themselves. I don't see how they could come back from a major energy drain."

"Amari, please help me remove the silver from Bronx's liver. He already agreed to let me try. I'm worried I won't be able to do it with the energy I have. Not after how draining it was to create an eye for him," I hold my breath, waiting for her answer.

She sits back in her seat, hands still on the table, and looks up at the ceiling. After what seems like an eternity, she looks at me again.

"If at any point I feel like it's becoming dangerous, I'll stop immediately. I have to trust you blindly, Kas. You don't remember your past lives, but I do. I love you, darling, but I have hundreds of reasons to not trust you," she says resolutely.

"So, you'll try?" my heart beats harder. I can't wait to tell Bronx, "I promise I won't hurt you, Amari. You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you so much," my heart beats harder. "You're welcome, Kas. We're leaving tomorrow, so it needs to be this afternoon. I think this healing is best suited to happen in the hospital wing, just in case," she advises.

"Oh yes, yes. Agreed. I'll contact the hospital staff right away," my words spill out like water from a fire hose as I throw my arms around her ina crushing hug, "Thank you so much, Amari. I will have an omega come escort you so we can do a practice run through first."

"Okay, darling. You're very welcome," she chuckles, patting my arm to loosen my grip.

She gives me a guarded look when I let go. Ican't help myself. I give her a happy peck on the cheek and show myself out. Bronx is in the hall speaking with Tyree casually.

"Hi Baby, don't you look happy," Bronx grins, holding his hand out to me. "Yeah, I got good news," I say in a sing- song tone, giving his hand a squeeze, "Amari is going to help me finish healing you. That way i won't drain my energy."

He looks at the door to Amari's suite tentatively, "Oh, she will, huh? Wow, that's...uh, that's great, Kas. Um, when is this supposed to happen? Katherine sald they are leaving tomorrow."

"This afternoon. In the hospital wing, for safety, of course. Oh my Goddess, I'm so excited. Aren't you excited?" I feel myself going a mile a minute, but! can't help it.

"It's great, Kas," he says with a tentative smile. He rubs his hand on the back of his neck, like he always does when he's uncomfortable.

I decide to change the subject, when I see he is not as accepting of the idea as I had hoped, "How did it go with Katherine and Tessa?"

"Tyree, can you give us a minute?" he motions with his head for Tyree to give us space.

"Of course, Alpha," he bows his head slightly.

As we walk down the hall, I look back to see Tyree further back normal.

"Tessa has agreed to stay. Katherine says she supports it, but I think that is just what she is saying. I don't think she supports it at all. We need to be really cautious with Tessa here, Kas," he says through a mind link.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. Everything is going to work out. I can feel it. I'm sure of it. Not just healing you. I'm going to go to the hospital wing and plan with the doctors. Be there at three p.m. Okay?" mind link back.

He looks like he wants to say more, but he holds back. I give him a deep kiss and he sends me on my way while he goes to check in with Carly about some MasonCo business.

kk

Bronx's POV

"Kas, I feel like a freak show," I murmur in her ear, "Does everyone need to be here?"

Not only have my parents insisted on being there, Lenora, Milo, Ashley, Reggie, Katherine, Tessa, two doctors, and two nurses are in the room too, just in case something goes wrong.

"It's going to be fine. They're here because they care about you," Kas smiles as she helps me take my shirt off. I growl in frustration as she gives me a kiss.

"Lay down, Sweetheart," Kas gently pushes on my chest.

Amari steps up to the side of the bed, " Bronx, I won't mince words. Extraction hurts. The fact we're dealing with cursed silver, well, it's probably going to hurt a lot worse coming out than it did going in. Not to mention, Kas needs to go slow to make sure she doesn't damage any other organs."

I nod to the ceiling. I can't look at anyone and lose my concentration right now.

Amari continues with her warning, " You need to be awake, Bronx. If you pass out, we will have to stop. We need your feedback in case something goes wrong. If you pass out and the silver has already moved, it could be dangerous."

I rub my hands over my face, * Wonderful. Wide awake, got it. Let's get this over with, please."

"Is this gonna hurt worse than that time drunk rogue Alpha tried to kill us?" Saint asks.

"Probably, buddy," I say dryly, "It is cursed silver after all."

"Shit. I didn't think about it that way when I promised Lex," he grumbles.

"Saint, it's too late now. We just need you to concentrate, alright? See how many people are here? You want them to think you're weak?"

There is a moment of silence before he huffs at me. I feel his strength bolster as I let myself look at Kas and Amari, "Let's do it."

Kas and Amari join hands next to the bed. Kas's aura surrounds the two of them before Kas turns to me and places both hands on my midsection over the area where my liver is. Amari leans against the wall, looking winded. '

I look at Kas as she closes her eyes and watch her aura glows brightly. It's so bright, I'm forced to squint. A searing heat builds in my abdomen. The pressure of Kas's hands becomes more sensitive as the heat intensifies.

I grit my teeth and involuntarily growl as the heat turns into a focused pinpoint area. Saint paces in my mind while I feel sweat dripping from my face. My breath gets heavier and more ragged as I try to focus my attention away from the pain.

"Saint, I don't know how much longer I can hold out." I grunt in my mind.

"Want me to tap in?" he asks ina worried tone.

I hear myself groan loudly, and my muscles start involuntarily contracting

from the pain. Darkness is creeping in at the edge of my consciousness.

"Let me take the reins, Bronx," I hear Saint say.

"Not yet. I got it."

"Listen, dummy. You don't get it. Let me take over before you fucking pass out and our mate has to stop healing us," he snarls at me, "I'm tapping in."

I'm too weak to stop him. Saint pulls me back and takes control without shifting. I watch helplessly as he realizes how bad the pain is. His fangs and claws instinctively elongate to defend himself from whatever's causing the pain. Milo, Reggie, and my dad step forward and do their best to hold me down as Saint

writhes under their grip.

"Almost done, Saint," I hear Kas whisper into my ear as Saint howls in pain, "Hang in there, Sweetheart. I love you."

I feel his rage, brought on by the pain, subside slightly at her words. He gives in the shaking muscles and searing heat of pain coursing through our body. I give him what strength I have left to help him through.

When he can't take it anymore, the longest, loudest howl I have ever heard from my body fills the room, causing everyone except Kas to cover their ears and wince.

"How much longer?" Saint snarls at Kas. She opens her glowing violet eyes and looks at him, removing her hands. As soon as she does, the pain is gone.

"I'm done, Saint," she brushes the back of her fingers over my cheek, "Please let us have Bronx back. Thank you for protecting him."

I watch Saint take Kas by the upper part of her arm and lean her toward my body. His gravelly voice purrs at her, "Thank you, my beautiful mate."

Kas leans her forehead against mine and closes her eyes as Saint lets me take control back.

I feel better than I have in years. Everything around me feels more crisp, my movements feel effortless. My vision, improved by two eyes, now seems to be technicolor. An energy I haven't felt in years surges through my body. I take a deep breath and smell minute scents I didn't notice before.

I wrap my arms around Kas and pull her onto the bed. I nuzzle her cheek and let our combined ambient energy surround us. I don't give a shit who is in the room to see it.

"Are you okay, Baby?" I ask while I rub her back. I feel her nod against my chest.

"It worked?" Dad asks.

"It did," Kas's voice sounds strained. I pull away from her slightly. She looks a little green, like she has an upset stomach.

"W-where's the silver?" he asks, a little unsure of what just happened.

"I need a bucket," Kas says and holds her hand over her mouth. One nurse rushes forward with a bucket and nota moment too soon. She gets sick in the container over and over. It's the same black tarry substance she has vomited with other healings to get poison out. I sit up and rub her back until she's done. "The silver is in here," she hands the bucket back to the nurse, "Along with all the tar that was left over from Bronx's smoking days."