Page 21 of Stealing Samantha

Their group piled into another transport, a smaller, self-driving vehicle this time. It was a beautiful drive, and the time sped by faster with Jaess at her side. Their hands touched across the space between them on their seat. A center aisle divided the bench seats, almost like in a train car. There were six others with them in addition to their guide. They’d gone towards the back, and the Xithilene at the front were keeping the guide occupied with their questions.

“I’m sorry about last night. I should’ve known better.” She wished that his perfect voice was saying anything but that. None of what had gone wrong the night before had been Jaess’ fault.

“Don’t apologize. I should’ve made sure to talk to you afterwards. I’m sorry I froze up. It was just something Uvaess—my failed mate—used to do. I know you didn’t mean anything by it,” she said quickly.

Jaess already had to sit awkwardly to accommodate his wings, so he could hardly hide it when they shifted roughly, pushing squeakily against the back of the stiff bench. “It was wrong of me. I won’t do it again.”

Part of her wanted to tell him not to make that promise. “Okay,” she said instead.

The road they took cut through the uniform pines, and it was easy to lose track of time as the view outside remained unchanging. When the transport turned just right, she saw the mountains rising like black swells above them. Nothing about this place reminded her of what she’d seen of Xithilene. How strange it must be for Jaess, like walking on one of the settlements on Mars would be for her. She wasn’t sure if she still possessed the same hunger that’d driven her before. The old Sam would’ve jumped at the chance to see any new planet, and she would’ve plastered her viewscreen to the transport window at the opportunity to capture a vid of this drive. Maybe she didn’t miss her as much as she’d thought.

Sam turned away from the window and caught Jaess watching her. His lips tipped up in a soft smile. “I don’t think there’s anywhere like this on my planet. Could you imagine living here?” he asked.

“No. It’d be like a dream, I think. There’s so much beauty here, all out in the open. It’s too raw, too much, and wouldn’t you hate it if there came a day when you woke up and didn’t even notice it any longer?”

Jaess didn’t look at her like she was crazy when she said things like that. He just absorbed it all in his quiet, sure way. It was funny. When she played for him, he was the one who flew, but the minute they stepped off the stage, he was the one who grounded her—her anchor, the touchstone she hadn’t known she needed.

“That’s why I love the forest. She hides her treasures. There is no forgetting the beauty there—it’s always taking me by surprise, over and over again,” he said, his green eyes glinting.

“I wish I’d been able to enjoy it.” The words just came out. She would’ve never have expected them to be the truth, but they were. She’d been in an almost virgin rainforest full of alien life, and she’d seen practically nothing. What kind of explorer was she? “I’m not sure I could though, after what happened.” Another truth.

“I know.”

She believed he did.

Jaess’ eyes widened as the feathers around his face lifted slowly. He was looking out the front view window of the transport. Sam leaned forward to see what had caught his attention. Another massive wall of stone awaited them up there, not so far away now. She liked seeing that awe on his face. Uvaess had been unable to appreciate anything about Verkissat, about anywhere that wasn’t his village. He’d lied to her through their comm messages, but Jaess wasn’t pretending.

The transport made a few turns, and the traffic grew thicker, although it was nothing compared to what it’d been in the city. Their transport came to a stop near a large, old, stately looking building. Their guide stood and ushered them out of the vehicle, and the Xithilene all sort of grouped together, looking like an oversized flock of birds preparing to roost.

“None of you are dressed for walking through the snow, but stay on the paths and you should be fine. Don’t worry, the ice is safe. There’s no danger,” the guide said with a smile for some of the Xithilene standing at the front of the pack. “I’ve arranged skate rentals for those who want to try.”

Jaess took her hand. “Unless you’ve changed your mind, I’d prefer not to balance on bladed shoes. I need to be able to dance, or they’ll send me back on T’xith’s next voyage.”

“I don’t mind just walking. It’s so lovely here, and it’d be difficult to concentrate on skating and looking around at the same time. Besides, I was hoping we’d have a chance to get away from the others.”

Jaess briefly tightened his hand over hers before he pulled her towards the path down to the lake. She could already see the skaters tracing beautiful shapes onto the ice, graceful circles and long, fluid lines. She’d never been much good at skating herself, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate watching. It wasn’t very busy. They would have plenty of room to move without encountering anyone else if they wanted to be alone.

He glanced sideways at her once they reached the lake. “We’re here. Are you ready?” he asked.

Sam let go of his hand and stepped onto the ice. It was smooth like a real rink, not like the small lakes she’d attempted to skate on as a kid, and the snow had been pushed away, too. Sam laughed. The ice was slippery beneath her feet, not enough to make her fall, but too slick to feel like walking on normal ground either.

“It’s really thick—sturdy—not like some of the places we went to when I was growing up. Sometimes when we went too early in the season, you could see the water beneath us,” she told Jaess, smiling over her shoulder as she watched him slowly move out towards the spot where she’d stopped to wait for him.

His wings lifted high above his shoulders and his mouth went tight. “Your mother and sire approved of such activities?”

She just grinned back at him. “We were always careful. A little danger is exciting. Isn’t that why you take those dives that you do off the highest platforms? You can’t tell me that there isn’t part of you that’s a bit of a thrill seeker—an adrenaline junkie.”

“If you’re trying to say that you’ve noticed I often make ill-considered choices, you’re right. I came to Earth on a whim, didn’t I?” The second part came out quieter, and from the look on his face, she guessed that he hadn’t meant for her to hear it.

“Come on—let’s go further out, past more of the skaters.” She held out her hand for him again. They walked slowly, and Jaess kept his eyes on the ice as if simply watching it would ensure they didn’t fall through. “Why did you come here? You only gave me half an answer the first time I asked. Chasing fate—what’s that mean to you, Jay?” The nickname came out naturally. She gave them to everyone who mattered to her. Kay for Kayla, Aunt Em instead of Emily—just like she was Sam, not Samantha. “You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?” she asked quickly.

“It sounds very…human. I don’t mind.”

Of course, he didn’t. She couldn’t discover much that she didn’t like about Jaess of Vastiss anymore. She’d even caught herself staring at those wings, wondering if touching him like that would be different. The air was bracing, the cold like a rush of ice down her throat each time she inhaled, but she liked it. She felt as alive as she did facing down the audience each night they performed. There was nothing like it, and she wouldn’t have ever had this chance without Jaess.

Sam smiled at him again. “There’s nothing wrong with your name. I don’t need you to sound more human for me—just so you know. I like you just the way you are.”

“I wouldn’t change you either, Sam.” He released her hand and stepped further away. His back was to her when he spoke again. “I came for you, Sam.” There was no mistaking those low words. She felt them vibrate up her spine, sensed them tingling their way over her shoulders as they raced towards her heart.

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