Out of Time 01 - Out of Time

moment in his mind so many times. Jagged shards of his nightmares cut into his thoughts. Each memory chipped away at his denial, a piece of flesh shorn away from his heart.
    He’d let his guard down, just for a moment, and it had cost him everything. His chest burned, the realization striking him like a blow to the solar plexus. Forcing air into his lungs, he swallowed his dread and tried to clear his mind.
    She was alive. He could almost feel her. Whether it was madness that told him so or a bond beyond the mortal world he didn’t know, and didn’t care. She was alive. Those three words would be his mantra until he found her, until he held her in his arms again.
    His hand clenched around the shoe he’d carried back. The sharp edge of the heel digging into his palm brought him back to the present. He would find her, or die trying. Muttering a string of curses for having wasted so much time already, he set her shoe down next to the armoire and went where he should have gone in the first place.
    * * *
    “Where is he?” Simon demanded.
    Charlie’s eyes widened behind the peek hole slot. “What’s wrong?”
    Simon pounded his fist against the heavy metal. He didn’t have time for this. “Open the bloody door!”
    Charlie quickly complied, and Simon grabbed him by the shirt collar. “Where’s King?”
    “Professor—”
    “Where?”
    Charlie’s big hand clamped around Simon’s wrist and tried to pull him off. “Take it easy. What’s happened?”
    “He’s taken Elizabeth, that’s what’s bloody happened. Now tell me where he is.”
    “You can’t—”
    Simon’s fist lashed out like a striking snake and hit Charlie flush on the jaw. The big man’s head jerked back, but his jaw must have been made of iron. The blow didn’t even stagger him. He grabbed Simon’s free hand and twisted him around, easily putting him in an armlock.
    “Let go of me,” Simon growled.
    “Not ‘till you talk sense.”
    “Didn’t you hear what I said? King has Elizabeth.”
    Charlie spun Simon around again and shoved him backwards. “I heard you. And you think you’re any match for him? He’s got ten men twice as strong as I am. You go in there half-cocked, and you’ll get yourself ten kinds of killed. That ain’t gonna help Lizzy.”
    A part of Simon’s mind knew Charlie was right, but the rest was drowning in desperation. He shook out his hand. The knuckles throbbed, and he perversely welcomed the pain. “If you won’t help me, I’ll find someone who will,” he said and started for the door.
    Charlie blocked his path and held up a hand. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help.”
    “Then tell me where he is.”
    “Everything all right, Charlie?” Dix asked, appearing in the doorway to the storeroom.
    Charlie never took his eyes off Simon. “No,” he said. “Things ain’t.”
    Dix rubbed a chill from her arms. “What happened?”
    Simon grunted and rolled his shoulders. All this talk wasn’t getting him any closer to Elizabeth. Didn’t they understand?
    “Professor says King’s kidnapped Lizzy.”
    Simon barely heard her gasp. Charlie’s words rang in his ears. The truth of it spoken aloud made his gut wrench.
    Charlie frowned, his thick brow wrinkled in thought. “You didn’t tell anybody you were leavin’, did you?”
    Simon shook his head. “Just you.” As soon as the words left his lips, the thought took root. “Just you,” he repeated his voice sharp with accusation.
    Charlie shoved out his barrel chest and met Simon’s glare. “I’d cut my own throat before I’d put Lizzy in danger. We didn’t say nothin’ to nobody. Right Dix?”
    When she didn’t answer, both men turned to look at her.
    A patina of sweat had broken out on her forehead. She shuffled her feet nervously, her painted fingernails digging into the soft flesh of her arm.
    “Dix?”
    She swallowed and finally lifted her chin. Tears puddled in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Chapter Twenty Seven
    C harlie shook his head. “What are you sayin’, Dix? You didn’t tell nobody, did you?”
    Her eyes closed and black, mascara tears streaked down her face. “I’m sorry,” she said, choking back a sob. “I—”
    Simon snapped out of his shock and lunged toward her. He grabbed her arms in a fierce grip. “What did you do? Who did you tell? Talk or so help me God—”
    She blubbered insensibly, and Simon shook her violently. It was all he could do not to put his hands around her neck and strangle the truth out of her.