yanking them on. He slipped on a pair of sneakers and paced the parking area, hoping that Fritz and his team would soon return with news. He prayed that it would be good news.
An hour later, Dirk still paced the parking area, wondering if he should go in search of Fritz and his group. Maybe they?d found something. Maybe that was why they hadn?t returned. The area that Fritz was to be canvassing wasn?t as large as the area he and his men had covered, so why hadn?t they returned? Maybe they would soon return with Jane. Maybe they were battling with the men who?d taken her. Should he go find them? They may need help. He turned and looked at the group of men with him. They were all huddled in the shade at the edge of the woods awaiting their next orders.
He was about to tell them to prepare, that they were setting out again when he heard a faint rustling in the woods. He stepped closer in the direction it had come and waited for the cause to emerge. It was Fritz and his group and
they were alone. Jane wasn?t with them.
Without giving Fritz time to dress once he?d transformed, Dirk questioned him about what he?d found.
Fritz?s mouth tightened into a hard line and he jerked his pants up over his hips with agitation. ?I?m sorry Delta, we found nothing.?
Dirk cursed and spun, kicking rocks and sticks as he made his way to the edge of the woods and landed his fist against a tree trunk with a growl. He growled a second time when the pain in his hand didn?t overpower the ache in his heart. He needed to find Jane. He couldn?t keep going on without her. If things continued like this, he would surely go mad.
Without another word, he got into the SUV and his men followed suit. Fritz and his men did the same, following him to the motel.
When they arrived, Dirk sulked into his room, feeling as if he?d failed. He had been sharing a room with Fritz, but Fritz hadn?t followed him. He assumed that Fritz had understood that he wanted to be alone.
He fell onto the bed and with a sigh, closing his eyes and reaching for Jane. Feeling her through their bond was the only thing that kept him from falling apart. If not for the bond, his sanity would be gone.
He could feel her there, inside his mind. He could feel the same unsettled emotions resonating from her like the ones that he possessed. He concentrated, thinking on how much he missed her and how much he wanted to hold her and then thought of how happy he?d feel once he was finally able to again. He knew that he needed to be strong and to hold onto hope for her. He also knew that his comforting thoughts would seep through to her and hopefully, help comfort her, if only a little.
It was difficult to put on a brave face when he sought her out, however, because every time that he dug deep, he could feel what she was feeling and it brought him anything but peace. He could sense her hunger and her despair and wished that he?d soon find her and free her from wherever she was, from whatever hell she?d found herself in.
He jerked at the sound of a knock at the door and moved to the edge of the bed. Without any effort to hide the aggravation in his voice, he shouted, ?Who is it??
?It?s Ica,? a soft voice answered from outside.
?Come in,? he answered in a tone less harsh than the first.
He?d been surprised with Ica?s efforts to help them find Jane. It?d been over a week and she still tagged along with them, dutifully studying the books that Fritz had brought her.
She entered the room, carrying the books and took a seat in a chair by the door.
?What is it?? Dirk asked.
?I think I found a way to find out where Jane is,? she replied carefully.
?What do you mean?? Dirk questioned as he stared at the books in her hand.
?I found a spell.?
?How can you understand the spells if you don?t yet know the language?? Dirk asked, allowing his displeasure to be known.
?I?ve been studying the language and with the help of a translator on my phone, I?ve been able to make out some of the spells. I found one that I?d like to try. It?s a bit complicated, but I think