Eryx is part of a team of scientists charged with monitoring and protecting relocated animals on a privately owned planet. When sensors indicate poachers, Eryx leaves base to confront them, only to lose his way in a sudden snow. After trudging to a nearby observation station for shelter, he comes across an unexpected intruder.<br><br>Smuggler Leander flies an old, sometimes unreliable ship. When the engine starts to fail, he attempts to set down on the nearest planet where he’s stashed supplies, but his descent turns into a crash, and he’s forced to take shelter wherever he can.<br><br>The two can’t possibly trust each other, but storm projections show they’ll be stuck together for days. Worse, the poachers aren’t letting a little inclement weather stop them, and they’re armed and ready to kill. Can Leander and Eryx put aside their differences and save the animals -- and themselves -- before something disastrous happens?

Under Snow and Stars

“Yes, I do.” Leander ran a hand through his messy hair and glanced away. He was visibly hard, too, which made Eryx only ache more for him.


“Great time to decide that. We’re kind of on a time limit with everything.” Leander grabbed his coffee and took several gulps. “Damn.”


“Can we rush this? Obviously so we can get back to Base Four before so much snow falls we’re trapped somewhere without a decent bed.”


Leander laughed. “I’ll do my best. Get out of here and stop distracting me.”


Eryx picked up his coffee and left. He checked on the poachers and found them still out, then went by the cargo hold again to reassure himself there were no snow leopards in it yet. The temperature had been reduced and a lot of snow had been shoveled in, probably why it had taken the poachers so long to get around to actually capturing leopards. They were trying to mimic the environment they’d found.


Chapter 26