TITLE: Barter

AUTHOR: PEJA

FANDOM: The Sentinel

RATING: R

SUMMARY: a bargain made.

FEEDBACK: If you want more Sentinel pieces, I expect so. Otherwise....

EMAIL: daltonavon@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: They are mine...I stole them out of under negligent noses.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is an AU...hey when do I do anything else. Someone who knows who they are accused me of making Blair a gothic romance heroine. Thought I'd live up to it.

 

**********
Barter

by
PEJA
*********

Blair Sandburg crept through the crowds milling in the marketplace with only one goal in mind. He was hungry. And he was going to remedy the situation with help from one of the many arrogant nobles out for a day of gaming.

Blue eyes cast around the delicate high-steppers, searching for the one among the cattle that would feed him, no matter how unknowingly.

A cliché of cooing light skirts and male fawners milled around one great hulking crat. Blair's narrowed gaze ran over the skin tight outer jacket, the gold trimmed vest and the pants that looked like he'd been poured into them. Well heeled and full of himself for sure.

Blair smiled. That one would do nicely. Very nicely indeed.

He crept on cat's feet toward his prey, keeping well to the fringes of sauntering shoppers and caterwauling shopkeepers. The pedestrians cut him the path he desired and soon he was in the thick of the great dunderhead's adoring hangers-on.

Keeping a sharp eye on the lazy-eyed giant, Blair edged closer. Ever closer. Until he found the blindspot he'd chosen. The big guy cut him a slow, half-masted glance then turned back to answer one of his fawners in a voice that sent silky warning tingles through Blair's entire body.

Scowling darkly, Blair racked back his curls and breathed a slow breath. Damn, now his hands were trembling. What was it about this guy to be setting off all his protective alarms.

Another calming breath lost the shake in his hands and he staggered.

The trip looked real enough. he landed heavily against the big guy who steadied him with one hand curled around each arm.

"Had too much bitters, cub?" The guy demanded, swallowing Blair's delicate hand in one of his. Along with the wallet he had lifted.

Blue eyes crashed into Blair's frightened gaze. "Mine, I think?"

Blair blanched, swallowing hard. "A...mistake, sir."

The devil's own smile lifted one corner of the big man's harsh lips. "A very grave mistake, cub."

"Lord Ellison, be ye all right?" A woman caterwauled.

Blair felt his grave open up under his feet. "Lord...Ellison?"

The big man tipped a single nod. "Guilty," the smile lingered. "As are you."

"Oh, Jesus." Blair stared helplessly up into the eyes of the current master of The Hellfire Club. "Milord....."

Ellison's grasp on his arm tightened as he turned to his adoring groupies. "I would speak with this young one alone."

With that he turned and strode through the parting crowd, with Blair in his wake. Running, stumbling in his haste to keep in step, Blair didn't have time to resist. Didn't have time to think when Ellison bundled him into a dark alley and thrust him none to gently against the bricks.

Dark blue eyes plunged deeply into Blair. "Give me what belongs to me."

Blair didn't even consider arguing. This man was bad news. All the street folk knew to steer clear of this demon. Those who had fallen into his clutches very rarely were ever heard from again.

He held out the packet with shaking hands. "Forgive me, Lord. I didn't know..."

"Whose pocket you were digging through? No, I expect not." He smiled coldly. "Now, what am I to do with you?"

Blair cast a pleading glance up. "Let me go?"

Black laughter lifted. "You are a brassy chit. You lift my blunt and then expect me to let you go without any....punishment."

Blair's glance cast around for escape, and found none. Resigned, he closed his eyes and nodded. "Kill me if you must. God knows, when Naomi finds out what I've done..."

"Naomi..?" Ellison tilted his head looking down his long arrogant nose at the matted curls. "You know the light skirt?"

"She ain't no light skirt," Blair bristled. "Naomi is my mum."

Something dangerous glinted in the darkening blue gaze. "Now that puts a new light on the situation." His hard stare swept the shaking boy. "What name do you answer to...most frequently."

Expecting death to claim him soon, Blair told him softly.

"Blair, is it? Your mother always had a flair." He tipped Blair's chin up and smiled a cozy smile. "A kiss, boy."

Blair gaped back at him. "A kiss?"

"That is your punishment. You will give me a kiss." Ellison traced Blair's lips with the pad of his thumb. "Yes, that will do me up quite well...for now."

"But....But...You're a...." Blair waved his hand up Ellison's length. "...A...a..."

"A Man?"

Blair nodded. "Yeah." He swallowed noisily. "And I'm a....a..."

"A man?"

"Well, yeah...."

"Quite. I don't see a problem with that, do you?" Blair stood still, disbelief widening his eyes. "Give me my kiss, man-boy."

A hand wrapped around Blair's throat, forcing his head up. He clawed at the uncomfortable pressure for a moment, then managed a croaking. "Okay.."

Lord Ellison eased his grip on Blair's throat, but not the one he had on the youth's arm.

Blair lifted his chin, offering his thin pressed lips to the creature of the night and waited. And waited.

When the kiss never came he opened his eyes, his glance full of questions.

The demon Lord simply smiled softly. "I said you give me a kiss."

"Mi..lord...?"

"You stole my blunt, boy. You make payment with your lips. Or your neck."

Blair shuddered, knowing full well what the big man would do to him if he backed down. What would one kiss matter?

He leaned up the big man's body. A small hand curled around the arrogant man's neck and Blair closed the distance, pressing his cold lips to warm ones for one brief instant before pulling back.

Ellison's arms enveloped him before he could escape, and he deepened the kiss.

Blair struggled a moment, until the warmth of the man seeped into his forever cold bones and he pressed closer for just one beat more of that blessed comfort.

Humming deep in his throat, Ellison gathered the smaller man closer. His sweet tongue pressed for entrance and Blair melted into the kiss, opening his mouth. He whimpered softly as Ellison swept inside, running his tongue over the ridges of Blair's mouth, the soft inside cheeks, leaving no surface untasted. and filling the smaller man with his own unique flavor.

Blair lost track of time as the bigger man raped his mouth. His trembling hands clung to the wide shoulders, standing only because the aristocrat held him upright.

And than it was over.

Ellison wiped a thumb over Blair's passion bruised lips, grinning. "You will do nicely." He said softly and stuffed several bills into Blair's hand. "Now go."

Blair didn't need to be told twice. He scampered away, clutching the money he'd failed to steal, but had earned instead.

Ellison followed at a slower pace. At the head of the alley he tipped a nod to two dark skinned men waiting across the way.

Blair was to caught up in processing what had just happened to notice the men trailing him home.

END PART ONE