Underground

Once we were mostly dried off from the bath I retrieved my cigarettes from the jacket of my coat and perched on the bed, giving Daniel a little inviting smile and patting the bed beside me. He took up a box of matches from an ornate opium layout that sat on the shelf beside the bed and lit one, cupping a hand around the flame as he held it out to me. I smiled and leaned forward to light my cigarette, taking a long drag. "Thank you. Would you like one?"

He set the box back on the ornate tray beside one of the pipes, fingers lingering on it for just a second, not long enough for anyone to notice unless they, like me, were looking for it. "No thank you, John. I don't smoke." He hesitated, then perched on the end of the bed, watching me quietly.

"All right, then." The distance he kept from me was disappointing, but I didn't push him. I sat up instead and swung my legs over the side of the bed, leaning closer to him. "Not cigarettes, then." I inclined my head towards the tray, watching him calmly. "Do you need some?"

Daniel turned away from me with a shudder, form immediately tensing. "No."

"I know he uses it to control you," I said quietly, still watching him. "I can't imagine he makes it very pleasant for you."

He gave a little shake of his head. "It was a requirement when we were first taken. Now it is a reward. A gift from him, or from clients. I have... cut back over the past few months."

"Oh?"

A soft, mirthless laugh. "Because of... supply, you could say. I am not in as high demand as I once was."

"Because of your eye."

"Yes. But I can control myself, Mr. Murdoch. We are severely reprimanded if attempt to procure it for ourselves in any fashion. The withdrawal is less painful then the reprimand, if you can believe that."

I set my cigarette down on a nearby ashtray and stood, moving calmly to the tray and opening the tiny wood drawer full of opium tincture. "I'll give you some, then."

"Thank you, but it's fine. I'm not sure he'd believe that it was a gift."

"I thought you were supposed to do what I asked?" I turned to catch his face gently, smiling to soften my words. "I don't want you to be in pain. Take it, please."

"He will hurt me for it if I'm caught with it." His voice was so accepting that I had to turn away, catching hold of the bedpost and clenching it tightly to distract myself from the anger. How long would things go on like this, how long would he remain unpunished? I felt Daniel's fingertips touch lightly to my arm, almost hesitantly, and turned to find him looking up at me, small and uncertain. "John. If it pleases you...."

"I don't want you to please me," I muttered, and covered the hand on my arm with my own. "I just want you to be all right."

Daniel's lips parted slightly as he regarded me, eyes narrowing slightly, contemplatively. "If you will forgive me for saying so, John, you show an unusual amount of concern for a... businessman of your stature."

I frowned. "Would you rather I not?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." He gave a soft sigh, glancing away. "You just... don't know what it's like, to have lived a life that is not your own. I've been with him since I was fourteen John. More years than I can count."

"God." I knew what these traders did with children, but that they'd been doing it for so long.... "Since you were fourteen?"

"My father was a watchmaker," Daniel said softly, still not meeting my gaze. "He ran into financial troubles... he paid it back, but these men just kept asking for more and more. Finally they tried to take his right hand as payment. His livelihood. My family, my baby sisters would have starved. So I offered myself in exchange for all debts against my family being wiped." His smile was thin and bitter. "I didn't expect this."

"I'm sorry," I said softly, and he shook his head.

"All the servers have these stories. It's how life goes. But at least I had their respect when I was whole. Now... well. It's difficult to adjust to the move from being the most influential, most requested server to the least. Even this part of my life I have no control over, not anymore."

"I like you," I said softly, feeling helpless at his words. "You're sweet, Daniel. I didn't come here intending to do this, and yes, I am concerned for your well being. As for the deal I am attempting to make with your master, well... I'm afraid that it's the lesser of two evils in my life."

"So... you're trapped like I am."

"You could say that." I moved my hand from his, reaching out to stroke my fingers over his hair. "Lets relax here for a bit. I'll have a cigarette, pack a pipe for you, and then we can go back and I'll take care of my business."

He leaned into my hand just a little. "You forget my master's instructions," he said, looking up at me through his eyelashes, at once somehow both innocent and seductive.

I swallowed hard, caught by the gaze of those blue eyes. "Then we'll smoke, and then make love."

Daniel gave me a sweet smile and shook his head. "Not now. After, if I may. It isn't often that I don't want to spend my time serving chasing the dragon." He stood, pressing close to me, his hands stroking up my bare biceps and over my shoulders. "You've been very kind to me, John. I want to remember this clearly."

I let my hands smooth over his hips and around his waist, stroking the small of his back as I leaned in to kiss him warmly. "Then I'll try to make it memorable."

Daniel sighed against my mouth, fingers of one hand slipping into my hair as he returned my kisses, seeming to enjoy them as much as I. His lips were sweet and soft, his tongue flicking against my bottom lip as if to lure me deeper, and I took the invitation, tasting his lips and tongue with a low groan. In that moment I realized that I didn't feel guilty anymore. Daniel was engaged in this, encouraging this, and slowly melting against me under my kisses. It didn't change the fact that he was here as a slave, but for a short time perhaps I had given him a slight reprieve. Finally he drew back, breathless, lips still bruised from our kisses. "Shall we finish what we've started? Lay back and let me pamper you."

The temptation was too great to say no. "All right," I replied with a slow smile, then stretched out on the bed, leaning back against the cushions, watching him. He gave me a shy smile, then opened the doors to the cabinet under the opium layout, taking out a few small vials along with a larger one and a dish. As he poured careful amounts of each into the dish, I could faintly smell the same scent that he'd put in the bath, the earthy, rich smell of sandlewood with the light, cool scent that I couldn't identify. It was at once arousing and refreshing, and somehow perfect for sex. The bottles tucked away, he set the dish carefully on the table beside the bed, dipping his fingertips in the oil and perching beside me on the bed.

Daniel's hands were warm and slick on my skin as he began to work, starting at my feet, stroking the oil over every inch of my skin. His thumbs rubbed circles on my arches as his fingers pressed lightly between the bones on the top of my feet, somehow smoothing out the stress and knots as expertly as he had when he'd worked on my back. As he slowly worked up my calves, the knead of his fingers began to be mixed with soft, teasing touches, whispering against places that I hadn't even realized were erogenous. He didn't skimp on the oil, and the slick of warm hands over my skin was even more intoxicating than it had been when we were both wet from the bath.

I let my eyes fall closed, savouring his touch, giving a soft, appreciative noise as he began to precede his touch with soft kisses and licks dropped to my skin, trailing slowly up my thighs and over my hips. The slick knead of his fingers was almost maddening now, arousing me expertly, and when oil slick fingers whispered up the inside of my thighs I couldn't hold back a whimper, writhing against him at the tease of sensation. I opened my eyes to find him watching me very appreciatively, shifting to straddle my thighs. He reached out to gather more oil in his fingers, letting the excess drizzle over my chest, repeating the process with the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth that widened when I drew a soft breath at the drip of oil against my nipples. It was only a little cool, and warmed quickly as he started to stroke his hands over me, kneading, massaging the oil into my skin. The intentional tease of his fingertips against my nipples was maddening, sending little shivers of pleasure to my now very hard cock.

When his fingers moved to knead low on my abdomen I lost patience, tugging his hands from my skin and sitting up to catch his mouth in a hungry kiss. I stroked up his thighs to knead gently at his ass, hearing him whimper against my mouth, and I leaned back just enough to look at him, the beauty of his bare form. "I want you to arch back and lean on your arms," I said softly, and at his curious smile, reached for the dish of scented oil.

Daniel leaned back as I'd asked, watching me, and I tipped the dish to let a little of the oil pour onto his chest, sliding slowly in rivulets down his midline towards his stomach. I set the dish aside and caught the drops with my fingers, smoothing them up over him, narrowing my eyes at the pleasure of his skin sliding slick under my hands, the soft sigh of pleasure he gave. I worked the oil slowly over every inch of his chest, stopping just short of the metal collar, my fingers stroking the along edges of his collarbone and over his shoulders. It made him somehow even more appealing, pale, smooth skin and gleaming under the oil. He was hairless - I assumed all the servers were - and it just made it more intoxicating for me to stroke him, his skin silken and smooth under my touch.

Daniel's sighs of pleasure were intensely gratifying, and he shifted against me almost restlessly as I moved to stroke my hands over his thighs, dipping my fingers again in the oil to slick them. He was as hard as I was, and I let my fingers smooth over his erection, spreading the oil over the flushed skin and through the nest of ashen curls at the base of his cock. "You're so beautiful," I murmured again, curling my fingers around his cock to stroke him slowly, and he gave a soft, breathless laugh, flushing darkly.

"You drive me crazy, John. I haven't wanted someone so badly in a very, very long time."

Whether it was true or not, it still sounded nice. I slipped my hands to his hips to pull him closer, groaning as he pressed his hips to me, his skin smooth and slippery where it moved against mine. The grind of his hips was intense and left me craving more, my erection sliding against the slick hardness of his own, the soft flat plane of his stomach. Daniel's kisses were breathless and more than a little needy, and I stroked more oil around his waist, massaging the small of his back before moving down to slick my hands over his ass. I let myself clench and knead at soft flesh, encouraging the little helpless bucks of his hips against mine. I smoothed the oil over every inch of his skin, pressing a finger between his ass cheeks to stroke his opening, working the tip of a finger inside him and feeling him tense against me. "Oh god, Daniel...."

His oil slick fingers curled around my cock, sliding warm over my skin, stroking me slowly. "Make love to me," he murmured against my mouth, nipping lightly at my bottom lip. "Please, John. Need to feel you inside me. Please...."

I remembered his words from the bath, and shuddered at the mental image of Daniel impaling himself on my cock. Stealing one last hungry kiss, I laid back against the headboard again, letting my eyes take in every inch of his body. "If you still want to ride me...."

"Yes," he breathed, almost before I'd finished speaking. Daniel curled one hand around the base of my erection, his eyes falling closed as he lifted himself up and started to rock onto me, his breath in a shuddering sigh. His body stretched hot and tight around my oil slicked cock, and I bucked up into him before I could stop myself, my hands stroking up his thighs to clench at his hips.

"Feels so amazing," I gasped, catching his gaze as he gave me a breathless smile, his hands bracing against my shoulders. He started to rock on me slowly, arching up just a little and sinking back down. I could feel every inch of his heat surrounding me, feel the way he clenched and shivered around me as he moved on me. "Move however you like, Daniel, I want you to - I want to watch you, want to see how good it is for you."

Blue eyes met mine, dark and wild, and he bucked a little harder on me, drawing breath in soft gasps. "So good," he breathed, hands clenching at my shoulders as he began to move a little more. "Oh god, John, you're so big. Fill me up so perfectly." I swore softly under my breath, rocking up harder into him, feeling almost drunk on the sensations, on Daniel's word's and reactions. He shifted a little, giving a shuddering cry as our bodies came together, fingers digging into my skin. "God, John - !"

"That's it," I breathed, stroking my hands hungrily over his thighs as he rocked hard against me, shivering groans pulled from his lips with each thrust. I couldn't imagine anything more sensual than that moment, watching him take his pleasure of me, crying out as he impaled himself on my cock again and again. The tight, hot sheath of his body sent hot shudders of sensation through me with every thrust, leaving me almost desperate to come but at the same time wanting to savour this for as long as I could.

I freed one hand to stroke him, and Daniel met my gaze with a breathless whimper, body tense and trembling, rocking hard and fast. I let the movements of his hips push him into my fingers, his cock hard and hot and slick with the oil and his arousal. "Let me feel you," I managed to gasp, stroking him a little more firmly. "Let me see you, oh god - !"

"John!" Daniel seemed almost unhinged, moving on me almost desperately and I could feel his body shudder around me, feel him grow tense. Then he suddenly arched forward, catching my mouth in a hungry kiss. I clenched my free hand in his hair, holding him to breathless kisses, and finally felt his body tense, felt him spill hot and slick in my fingers as he clenched around me, crying out helplessly into my mouth. It was beautiful and intense and more pleasure than my body could take, climax overwhelming me as I bucked up deep inside him. I held him tightly to me as I rode out the shudders of orgasm, sharing breath with him as I gasped, drunk on the pleasure of the moment and the feeling of him pressed so close to me.

"Thank you," I breathed as soon as I could think clearly enough to form words. "That was... god. You're amazing."

Daniel gave me a shy smile, pulling away from me with a little sigh of loss. I opened my arms to him, and he curled against me without further urging, resting his head against my shoulder.

For a long moment I just held him, nuzzling his hair, fingers smoothing slowly up and down his back. Then I pulled away, lighting the opium lamp on the tray and filling the pipe, then placing the whole tray on the table beside the bed. I curled behind him and pressed a warm kiss to his shoulder, feeling a shiver run through him as he stared at it. "Go ahead," I murmured, kissing just under his earlobe. "There's nothing to be ashamed about."

"There is plenty," Daniel replied softly, but sat up and picked up the pipe. I watched him heat the bowl over the flame, then took a draw on it, holding the sweet smelling vapors for a long moment before exhaling slowly. I lit a cigarette, watching the remains of tension slowly leave his body, watching his eyes grow glassy and dilated. Finally he set the pipe aside, sinking boneless back into the pillows, blue eyes falling closed for a long moment before blinking up at me. "Thank you, John," he murmured, his voice low and languid, and one hand reached out to stroke slowly over my chest. "You've been very kind. I won't forget you."

I stubbed out the butt of my cigarette, covering his hand with my own and giving it a light squeeze. "I won't either," I said truthfully, and was rewarded by a slow smile. I leaned down to kiss him, tasting a hint of the opiate, and stroked my fingers up and down his side. "Do you always wear your glasses to bed? I've smudged them horribly... again...."

Daniel's chuckle was low and throaty, and it made me wish I'd heard him laugh more. "It's all right. I don't need them, the lenses are weak. I didn't wear them hardly at all, before. But now... well. They detract from my scar."

"They're handsome on you," I murmured, nuzzling the side of his face and pressing a gentle kiss to the scars at the corner of his eye. "We can stay here as long as you'd like," I told him, secretly wishing we could stay the whole night.

Daniel gave a soft sigh, kissing me gently before pulling away and sitting up. "I shouldn't keep you any longer, John. Better for me to go back before the rush wears off, in any case." He picked up a cloth from the vanity beside the bath, wetting it in the water and giving me a smile. "Will you let me wipe you down?"

I was happy to turn myself over to his gentle ministrations, his movements languid as he ran the cloth over my skin, meticulous and exact. I stroked his hips, trying to memorize the feel of his skin. "Can I return the favor?"

"Better not to," he said, but leaned up to give me a soft kiss and a smile before setting the cloth aside. "But thank you."

I re-dressed, watching him slip into a short cotton robe that had sat folded in the bureau and belt it around his waist. Then he sank to his knees in front of me, batting away my hands with another little smile, and slipped my shoes onto my feet, tying them neatly.

As we made our way back into the club I tried to clear my mind, to focus on the business matter at hand. I'd gone over the scenarios and arguments in my head again and again, prepared to convince him to make the deal no matter what. But I couldn't help but think about Daniel, sick at the idea of leaving him once again to this life.

When we reached the booth, I found Simms had taken over my sofa, and Candy was stretched out languidly along it, her head in his lap like a giant cat. I assumed she was as high as Daniel, and held up a hand to keep Simms from moving when I entered. There was another man there with one of the male servers I had passed by, who shot Daniel a scathing look as we entered that made my blood boil. Thankfully the guest excused himself quickly, tipping his hat to Hand and to myself, and I settled into one of the armchairs. "My gratitude for your generosity, Mr. Hand. I can't think I've ever had a more decadent experience. Assuming you bring this quality to all of your business dealings, I think that you and I can reach a very lucrative understanding."

"Good. I take it you were satisfied with my server?"

"More than. He was exquisite," I replied, watching him beckon Daniel close, who had settled on his knees at my feet. He stood at Hand's command, eyes downcast, all the spirit and life that I'd seen in him behind closed doors locked away.

Hand stood as Daniel reached him, taking hold of the ring on the silver collar and yanking him down onto the couch with little finesse. Daniel stumbled to his knees on the velvet, leaning against the couch back, and I saw him wince, biting at his bottom lip as Hand pulled up the short robe, pressing two fingers into him none too gently, twisting them. Apparently satisfied, he patted Daniel's ass, tugging his robe back down and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his fingers. "I'm happy to hear that, Mr. Murdoch." Tucking away the handkerchief, he placed a small tin in Daniel's fingers, then patted his ass again. "Go clean up and change, then come back. You have half an hour."

"Thank you, master," he said softly, turning away and casting me an unreadable glance as he left.

Hand and I talked for a short time, but it seemed he had done his research on me and my venue as well as I had on his. He was well aware of the space I had available, the size of the hall, the entrances, and the small, private dining rooms I'd recently renovated, among other things. There would be a few slaves moved through my venue, but for the most part what would take place was meetings with clients and other dealers, making quiet deals out of the public eye and managing the flow of cash. He was as eager to do business as I, and before long the only thing left to discuss was money.

Hand had lit the hookah again in my absence, and drew on it. "Your take will be eight percent of every sale. And, of course, any added revenue in food and alcohol that is purchased to entertain my clients."

I knew he expected me to barter, and I regarded the simple paperwork he'd drawn up silently for a long moment, as if contemplating. Truthfully I was steeling my nerves, preparing to deviate from everything I'd planned. But I couldn't just leave things as they were. I took a deep breath. "Ten percent, and one slave of my choosing, now, for my personal use."

Hand raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. "Daniel?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." He leaned back against the sofa and drew from the hooka, letting the smoke spiral up towards the ceiling. "You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Murdoch. Daniel is still very valuable to me, you must understand. I will give him to you, plus eight percent."

I could hardly believe that he was considering it. "Nine percent and Daniel."

"Acceptable." He leaned forward to fill in the numbers, signing the bottom with a flourish, handing the paperwork to me. I read it once more and signed, then handed it back. "Grand. I believe this shall be the beginning of a very successful business relationship, yes? I will go and prepare the first portion of your payment and send someone to fetch you when your car is ready."

"Thank you," I replied, standing as he did and offering my hand. I tried not to let my relief show that this had all gone over so smoothly. "It's been a pleasure, Mr. Hand."

"Likewise." He shook my offered hand then paused, taking a set of keys from his pocket and bending to unlock the cabinet under the corner table. He took out a wax paper wrapped parcel the size of a deck of cards, locking the cabinet before handing it to me. "For the road. It keeps them docile."

"Appreciated," I replied, and pocketed the large amount of opium. I hated it, but I knew that he'd need it.

When they took Simms and I back to the car, I found Daniel inside, dressed in a plain white shirt and slacks that appeared a little too long for him. The silver collar was gone. He was already blindfolded in the back seat, but his head jerked towards the sound of my voice as I thanked the driver for holding the door and slipped in beside him. I allowed Simms to fasten the blindfold over my eyes again, then blindly found Daniel's hand where it rested on the seat, covering it with my own and giving it a light squeeze.

~~~ To be continued?~~~

I'd originally planned to end it here, but... should I keep going? Let me know what you think. :D