Page 1 of Stealing Samantha

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Sam Chang had always hada knack for sneaking out of the house—she just never thought she’d still be dodging her mom’s nosiness at twenty-five years old. She was stuck living back home, and the transition certainly wasn’t an easy one. The snow crunched under her boots as she stepped outside and carefully shut the door, holding the knob turned all the way to the right so that it wouldn’t click and give her away. Very slowly, she let it release and started to walk.

The cold definitely had a bite to it that evening, but it wasn’t too bad with all the layers she was wearing. Just a couple of weeks ago she’d been on the balmy planet of Xithilene. She was supposed to still be honeymooning with her alien almost-husband right about now. Too bad it’d all gone so terribly wrong. Instead, she was back in Cherry Ridge, taking melancholy moonlit strolls while she relived the whole awful failure of her attempt to make a new life for herself.

Xithilene.It’d seemed like such a good idea at the time. She’d liked the capital city there, Verkissat, but then her no-good fiancé had abducted her and taken her to the most remote corner of the planet, an arboreal village composed entirely of Uvaess’ own family. No wonder he’d used the Mate Portal site to try to seek out some fresh blood. She doubted that his family tree had branched out recently. Maybe that was why they’d been so different from the other Xithilene she’d met. It was just her luck she’d ended up with an alien whose family had her hearing the strains of banjos playing in the tropical breeze.

Sam let her head tip back. She could already see more stars when she looked up than she would’ve a year ago. The Xithilene had kept the promises they’d made about providing environmental assistance to Earth. She blinked up at that twinkling sky. She should just stop dwelling on it. She’d had her chance with an alien man, and she’d gotten a bad apple—the rottenest apple. Why was she thinking about it all again? She hadn’t even liked touching him. Why would any other Xithilene be different? He wouldn’t, and that was that.

She lowered her gaze and stared blankly off into the gray distance. The stars were pretty, but there wasn’t enough moonlight to make the snow glitter and glow white, and the covered plains appeared like large swaths of shadow laid out before her. If Sam blocked out the sounds of the neighborhood behind her, she could almost imagine she was all alone there, as isolated as she’d been in the heart of the alien jungle.

Verkissat hadn’t been that bad. T’xith wasn’t bad either—her sister’s new Xithilene man slash sort-of-husband. Sam frowned. Her baby sister was gone now. A little sliver of jealousy worked its way beneath her skin and she just couldn’t seem to stop it from burrowing deeper. She was happy for Kayla—she really was. She just couldn’t help but wish that she’d gotten her own happily ever after, too. She was the one who’d put in the work, who’d written to Uvaess for six long months. She’d done everything right, and still it’d imploded on her. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair, but it seemed like it’d been going that way for her for a long time.

Sam tucked her hands beneath her armpits and kept walking. Her gloves weren’t keeping out the chill, but she didn’t want to turn back yet. She’d been restless since she’d returned to Cherry Ridge—to Earth. She was more than thankful that she hadn’t been stuck in that remote alien village, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t disappointing to be back. As much as she loved her family, she was supposed to have already left this life behind. Now she was practically homeless, jobless, manless, and just plain out of luck.

She stopped moving and looked up at the night sky again. If she squinted, she could imagine she saw it out there in the distance—Xithilene. That big, Earth-like sphere of green and blue. She was supposed to have had a future. Now she was just picking up the pieces.

* * *

Jaess of Vastissscowled as he covered his ears with his hands and stalked over to his bed. The incessant drumming from below on the settlement’s central platform was making his scales itch with irritation. In fact, everything seemed to be annoying him lately. He released a high-pitched warning rattle. There was no one to hear it there—no one who might be alarmed at such a sound issuing from his throat—and it felt good to let it out. He wasn’t used to this feeling of discontent, and he wasn’t sure quite what to do with it.

A senior hunter of his clan, he’d always believed he’d belonged in the forest, but lately, all he could think of was how to get away. He didn’t want to just leave the boundaries of Lisseethi—he wanted to go to Earth. He let his rattle sing freely again, attempting to purge himself of these unaccustomed urges. He could search the Mate Portal and find a human to contact. Perhaps in time he might be granted access to that far away planet the humans called their home.

Jaess closed his eyes and let out a low hiss. He didn’t want just any human. He wantedher. Sam, sister of Kayla, who was the mate of his cousin T’xith. He’d been there as they’d rescued her from the Sa’isthess clan. He’d carried her in his arms all the way down the trees and away from the rival clan’s village. She’d been unconscious the entire time, but it didn’t change the way he felt. Her scent still came to him from time to time, filling his nostrils and his lungs with her tempting sweetness.

He’d guarded her until she woke, and then she and her sister had left the settlement behind only hours later, but it’d been time enough to hear the sharp lash of her voice, to lose himself in those molten, dark eyes. Perhaps T’xith would visit Vastiss again with his new mate, but the sister wouldn’t be with them. No, the only way to see her again was on Earth, and there was only one person he knew who could assist him.

Jaess turned around and opened his wardrobe. He possessed little enough, but he’d never needed more. He removed one of his game bags from an outer hook and began to fill it with a few additional changes of clothing. Some feather oil, the soap he preferred, and his viewscreen completed his packing. He slung the bag over his shoulder and let his fingers glide over the hilts of the blades he wore at his hips. Perhaps just a few more would be better. Two daggers later and he was headed out the door of his hunter’s cabin.

As much as he wanted to just leave, he knew he couldn’t go without informing the family. They’d object. He already knew they would, but he had to try. He couldn’t go on in this way—not even if there was the smallest chance there was a way to Earth. He’d been born to hunt, to pursue. He’d caught the scent of the lovely Lady Sam, and now there was no forgetting it. He wouldn’t be able to rest until he’d at least attempted to catch her, too. No, he couldn’t let it go, not when it was the Lady’s own daughter who called to him.

That familiar burn in his gums made his lips twitch in a grim smile. She’d have to accept him first, yes, but a true mate? She was worth every risk. He closed his eyes as he imagined again how she’d felt in his arms, and he relished the sensation of his venom building, readying itself for release. He let the burn intensify, remembering the taste of her fragrance on his tongue, the softness of her skin beneath his grip, and the way her graceful body had fit against his own.

When he couldn’t bear it any longer, he pulled an eelish berry from his pocket and bit down hard on the fruit, letting his fangs plunge deep into its sweet flesh. He groaned in mingled bliss and exasperation. Every time he released his venom, pleasure rushed through his body like the current of the V’isslath, the great river. Unfortunately, he felt himself extruding from his mating sheath as well, and he didn’t have time to deal with his body’s inconvenient desire—especially not out in the open where anyone could watch him.

Jaess opened his eyes and pulled the eelish berry free from his fangs. The poor fruit would serve no further purpose now. He unfastened his firestarter from his belt and set the berry on top of one of the barrier posts that marked the edge of the platform where he stood. Then he activated the flame and held it to the fruit, watching as it caught fire and began to burn and smoke. Acrid and pungent as it was, nonetheless that smoke carried the scent of his sacred venom. He breathed deeply.

“Who has called your venom, son of I’ovik?”

Jaess looked back over his shoulder. Past the ridge of his wing he could see Akithe, T’xith’s sire’s sire, grinning fondly at him. “She doesn’t reside in this village,” he said. Perhaps it would be easier to inform the clan of his departure than he’d thought. “I’m leaving to pursue her. Will you tell the others for me, i’eenish?”

Akithe frowned. “I’eenish? I’m not so old that I can’t dance. Save your titles for those old ones who require them, youngling.”

Jaess turned around to face the other man, who certainlywasold enough to require the traditional honorific. “As you wish, Akithe. Will you notify the clan? I don’t know how long I will be gone, but I will send word when I plan to return.”

“Another new mate for Vastiss,” the older man said as his crown feathers rustled and he grinned again. “It is a good time for our clan, isn’t it? First T’xith’s homecoming and mating, and now you will bring home your chosen as well.”

Jaess felt his wings start to lift in discomfort. “I must claim her first before we celebrate the mating, i’een—Akithe,” he corrected as the old one began to scowl. “Tell the others that I’m taking the flyer to Verkissat. It will return home once I land.”

“Verkissat? You’re leaving Lisseethi?”

“Yes,” Jaess admitted as Akithe gave him a dark look. He wasn’t about to tell him that the flight to Verkissat would be the smallest portion of the journey he intended.

Akithe made a rough sound of disapproval in his throat before he snapped his wings out and then tucked them back again with a cascading ripple of feathers. “Watch yourself, young one. Northerners aren’t always kind to our folk. Remember that you are Vastiss—don’t let those wingless ones insult you. You should seek out T’xith,” he added with a satisfied nod of his head.

“I’d already planned to consult my cousin,” Jaess replied. “I’m sure all will be well. Lisseethi visit the capital city every day, and many live there. I don’t anticipate any trouble.”

Akithe inclined his head and took Jaess’ hand, pressing their arms together. “Well met, Jaess of Vastiss, son of I’ovik. Lady’s blessing over you and your quest.” Akithe smiled widely then. “Bring home your mate, youngling, and bless our clan with your offspring!”

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