Mystery at Skeffield Manor

Old friends, new friends, magic and mystery…

Join Wes and Kit, Robert and Louie, and their friends and family at Skeffield Manor. Except that there is mischief afoot here…in the beautiful country home and with a mysterious magical object.

A story told from multiple points of view.

Takes place after "Wes and Kit" and "Robert and Louie." Other stories set in the same universe: "Like A One-Eyed Cat" and "Gear Heart."

This story contains some magic, some steampunk elements, and has a low-medium heat rating.

Length: approx. 62,000 words

Excerpt:

Quick as a wink, he turned on a light. It was so bright, it left me blinking and nearly as startled as I'd been by the blue light from under the door.

He was shirtless, and all his muscles looked beautiful. Like the man himself, almost too perfect. I could hardly believe he was real sometimes.

"What happened?" He was already reaching for his gun.

Stammering almost incoherently, I managed to get my story out: going to the bathroom, seeing a bluish light under the library's door, and coming here.

"I hope you didn't scare him off." He flung himself lightly from the bed.

I laughed; it sounded cracked. I hugged my arms around myself. "I h-hope I did. He scared me enough."

"Shh," he said. "Stay here." And he bounded from the room and down the hall towards the library, gun in hand. I thought as long as I lived I wouldn't forget that image of him—so alert, muscular, and grave, with a gun in his hand, ready to take on the world. And barely acknowledging my presence now that he had a mission to tackle.

I shivered hard and shifted from foot to foot, a nervous dance. I tried to convince myself he was right, I should stay there, out of harm's way.

But I couldn't do it. We might not be in the best place right then, but he was still the man I loved. I couldn't let him run into danger so bravely, all alone and without backup.

So I left the room and hurried down the hall—the opposite direction. I remembered the layout of the manor well, even in the dark, and it took me only moments to find a magician's room. I thumped on Silus's door and then flung it open. "Intruder," I gasped. "In the library. He's…Robert went to face him. Hurry!"

He flicked on the light, flung back the covers, and jumped up. He was already yanking on trousers before I could blink. I averted my eyes, but not quickly enough. I'd seen him naked, and he was very handsome indeed. I'd thought his face was coldly perfect, but all of him was perfect. I felt as shocked as a frozen rabbit. He saw my expression, smirked in that cold way of his, and then ran past.

My goodness, there were a lot of half-dressed men running around the place tonight. If things were a bit less dire, I'd quite enjoy this.