He triggered a burst comm. Sunbase control, kay-four lead, all systems red, on track for pick up. ETA plus forty-three. Will activate beacon. Mission accomplished.
Within less than five minutes, he could feel the chill beginning to creep above his waist, a sure sign of far greater damage to his needle and armor—and himself—than he’d realized. He hated the idea, but there was no help for it. He triggered the emergency suspension system.
As the cold rose around him, the shakes and shivers began, if only in his upper body, and he could not move. Somewhere in the mist beyond, there was the face of a woman with flowing white hair and skin as white as porcelain, and lips like cherries appeared above him.
“Speak of this to no one else, and you will be spared eternal winter,” she said, and bestowed a chilling kiss upon him—and the ice encased him with whiteness.
VIII
Ghenji blinked as the cocoon opened, and Rokujo smiled at him, bending down and brushing his lips with hers—warm and merely apple-red, rather than chill and cherry red.
“You gave even me quite a bit of trouble,” she murmured, “but you’ll be fine.”
“You’re not…” He remembered the words of the snow-woman in white—so like, if not identical to Rokujo—and he forced a smile.
“I am what I am, and you have a very good memory, for which I’m grateful.” She kissed him gently once more. “Besides, you really don’t believe in those ancient legends, do you?” Her white eyebrows arched, just slightly, but sinuously.
This time, after her kiss, his body and blood did not turn to ice.