Out of Time 01 - Out of Time

he found King. He knew it would have been useless, but anything had to be better than waiting. He’d spent the first two hours pacing in the back room, until the walls started to close in. Being in the bar was no better. Every time someone laughed he wanted to cram it back down their throat. Every minute that scratched by took another layer of skin. Every glass of whiskey that passed over the bar called his name. He ached for a drink, anything to blur the horrific images that cluttered his mind.
    A vampire. His worst suspicions confirmed. Elizabeth was with the creature and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do but wait. He clenched his fist until the knuckles strained white. Useless. Bloody fucking useless. He wanted to rage, to hit something until his hands were as raw as he felt inside.
    A man shouldered up to the bar and tapped Simon on the shoulder. “Ain’t ya gonna play or what?”
    Simon blinked a few times and then turned to the man with a withering gaze.
    Charlie interrupted before things got worse. “Ankle it. Go on. Get,” he grunted and pulled the man forcibly by the lapels away from Simon. “Sorry ’bout that, Professor.”
    One more hour. He’d give her one more hour to return, then he’d take the city apart brick by brick till he found her. Charlie’s assurances that if King wanted to hurt Elizabeth he’d have already done it weren’t comforting. Going in half-cocked and getting himself killed wouldn’t help her either. Damn it. There had to be something he could do.
    If only he’d been more careful with the watch. If he’d only pushed her away when the light had enveloped him. If only. A thousand chances to keep her out of harm’s way, each one missed. Each missed opportunity had brought her a step closer to him, and the death his very presence would inevitably bring. Or had it already? Was she...?
    He pushed that thought aside ferociously. No, she wasn’t. She couldn’t be. It was his fate to watch. He knew that as surely as anything. When the time came, he’d bear witness to it. He took morose comfort in the thought. A drowning man will grasp even the blade of a sword.
    Was he so pathetic as to let fate wrench away the only thing that meant anything to him without a fight? There had to be something he could do, some way to protect her. He’d spent years studying the bloody things. They had weaknesses. King had to have a weakness.
    Vampires could be destroyed, he knew that much. They were strong, but not invincible. He needed weapons, tools, something, anything. And if King harmed one hair on Elizabeth’s head, he’d kill him with his bare hands if he had to.
    “Professor?”
    Simon looked at Charlie expecting to see the same haggard, worried face he’d seen for the last few hours.
    “Told ya,” Charlie said, grinning from ear to ear. He mopped his brow with the bar rag and nodded toward the door. “She’s back.”
    Simon turned and Elizabeth was standing in the doorway. She looked tired and pale, and more beautiful than ever. He strode across the bar, one step behind his heart, and gathered her into his arms in a crushing embrace. “Oh, love,” he rasped. God, to feel her in his arms again.
    “I’m all right,” she said.
    He pulled back to look into her eyes. He needed to see her face to be sure.
    “Really,” she said with a small smile.
    His hands cupped her cheeks as he searched her eyes. Her skin was warm, alive, but even that reassurance didn’t stop himself from sliding them down her neck.
    She pulled away and looked at him accusingly. “What are you doing?”
    “I had to be sure.”
    “You mean, you know?”
    “Charlie told me.”
    She pulled back, her eyes clouded with confusion and betrayal. “Charlie knows?”
    “Lizzy!” Charlie said.
    “I’ll tell you later,” Simon whispered, before Charlie pulled her into a bear hug. Her body tensed as Charlie held her arms.
    “You look all right,” Charlie said, as he held her at arm’s length. “Was so worried, thought I might have kittens.”
    “I’m all right, just tired,” she said wriggling out of his embrace.
    Charlie stood awkwardly for a moment still holding her arm. “Sure. Course ya are.”
    “We’re going home,” Simon said and eased her out of Charlie’s grasp.
    “Right. Yeah,” Charlie said, and smiled at Elizabeth. “Sure glad you’re okay, Lizzy.”
    Elizabeth nodded, her eyes glinting with mistrust, and slipped her hand into Simon’s. “Let’s just get out of