💗It’s Day 4 of the #TopsyTurvyRelationships writing challenge over on Instagram! Yesterday two characters ended up in a closet…kissing. Today I’m posting something a little different. Read on!
📌 Below is an excerpt from 🎩Templeton’s Tale, an unfinished short story that picks up right after Door to Door ends and before he meets Lucie Bellerose. The POV is Templeton’s, and this is the only time I’ve written him in the first person.
When the bell chimes, he’ll be thrust into a scene with Rabbit.
🔔 Chime
Scene: Templeton returns home after delivering an official top hat to Emily Swift to find a dead body in his penthouse. After having the body ‘removed,’ he calls Rabbit…
“You’ve been M-I-A for the last two years, Templeton. Plenty of time to make new enemies. Where have you been?”
“I’m surprised you have to ask.” I studied Rabbit.
“I’ve heard rumors. You want to tell me anything in particular?”
We were feeling each other out. I didn’t want to give Rabbit information he didn’t need to know. He’d assimilate any new details with those he already had. Although I trusted him, now that Emily was a Salesman, I couldn’t count on Rabbit to withhold information from her if she asked for it.
Walking to the fireplace, I flicked a switch, bringing it to life. I wondered if Rabbit knew why I was staying in Matar instead of my estate. “I don’t enjoy the company of many, as you well know, but from time to time, I may seek some companionship.”
He smirked. “I think they’re called escorts.”
Ignoring his jab, I picked at my sleeve, choosing my next words carefully. “Are you familiar with the Ivanov family in the North?”
“They’re big in transportation.”
“Trucking specifically, some train transport. Vlad’s daughter, Izabella Ivanova, is a beautiful and clever woman. She can be difficult, but…” I lifted a shoulder. “Difficult can be attractive at times. Unfortunately, she’s also curious and impulsive. She liked to play with magic.”
“Does she come by it naturally?” Rabbit asked.
I frowned. “She has some natural ability, but it’s limited to simple spells. At first, she enjoyed putting on silly displays for me. But something changed a couple of months ago. She became secretive. By that point, I was losing interest in our relationship. Had I cared more, I might have looked into her ‘hobby.’ She moved on to poppets right before I told her our time together was over.”
“How’d she take that?” Rabbit’s black eyes sparkled.
“Not well.” That was an understatement. Izabella set fire to my house at the estate. Specifically, she torched the corner near my master bedroom. Spoiled little psychopath.
“And you think she left a dead man in your penthouse? Why?”
I waved my hand. “Who knows? She’s insane.”
Rabbit puffed out a breath. His phone buzzed, and he quickly sent a message back. “And you want to see what I can find out? See if this break-in ties in with your Ivanov princess?”
“Discreetly, of course.”
“And in return?” Rabbit’s nose twitched.
I opened my arms wide. “Just ask.”
Rabbit was smart enough not to bite. He laughed. “Tell you what, Templeton. When I need something from you, I’ll let you know.”
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💗 This writing challenge runs from February 15 – 28! Stay tuned as tomorrow the next prompt is: Lunch with a parent (or parental figure). That post is now available! Click here!
Readers – Not on Instagram?
That’s okay! I’ll be sharing my Instagram posts daily here on my blog site AND daily on Facebook at Writer Tracy Brown so you can read them there, too. Make sure you check for a new story every day from February 15 through February 28!
What’s This Mean for Door to Door & Bellerose Witchline Characters?
I’ll be dropping Emily Swift, Lucie Bellerose, Templeton, Rabbit, Tara, Sebastian, and the rest of the crazy crew into a story matching the relationship-themed “prompt of the day” from the challenge.
If you ARE on Instagram, make sure you’re following me at https://www.instagram.com/WriterTracyBrown/ to see the posts there! But again, as long as you check out my blog list or my Writer Tracy Brown page every day, you can read all the short stories without Instagram. 🙂
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