Hell of a Town series by Mab ( explicit/mature)

[t-verano.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: slash J/B
Length: 42,718 words (total of both stories in the series)
Author on LJ: mab_browne
Author Website: Mab's Fanfic Site

Warnings:
for Hell of a Town: graphic depictions of violence
for Hell of a Situation: graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con

Why this must be read:

Blair as an incubus. Seriously, isn't that, like, the best premise ever for an AU?

And boy, does Mab deliver incubus!Blair and this terrific AU in which a very familiar-seeming world has unwisely managed to unleash supernatural beings and powers upon itself and Jim is a demon hunter (which is a pretty darn fine premise in itself). Because this is Mab fic, it's very well-written. Because it's Mab fic, it's intelligent and strongly atmospheric and real — the fantastic made as tangible, as part of the fabric of life for the reader as it is for the characters in the fic. Because it's Mab, there's twistiness and (lots of killer) angst, and Jim's wry and frequently pissed-off jadedness as one of Cascade Paranormal Defense's finest is perfect.

The first fic, Hell of a Town, is a hell of a read; witty, sardonic, vivid, dangerous, with scenes between Jim and Blair sharp enough to cut to the bone. The second, Hell of a Situation was written for Spook Me, and it's deliciously horrific, framing a further glimpse into the lives of Jim and Blair a few months after Hell of a Town with the creepiest of creepy...things.

Also? Blair as incubus is everything you could've imagined and more. It's not all hoodoo and heat and perfect, supernatural sex, for one thing. (Except when it is. :-))

"I was right the first time. If you think I'm going to let a fucking sex vampire," Jim spat the words out of his mouth, "watch my back, hinky senses or no hinky senses, then you're on the best drugs going. This conversation is over."

He strode to the door, Sandburg's words following him. "You'll be back, man. Wait and see."

Not in a million years. Back to ask help from an incubus? A man who didn't simply channel magical power, but had it twisted into his being? Someone who lived on sex, on the life energy of another human being? Even the law-abiding creatures of that ilk sat low in status, and high in suspicion, however the world might have changed in the last couple of generations. James Ellison, pursuivant, former soldier, might be desperate, but he was not that desperate. No way.

Links:
  ~  Hell of a Town series at AO3
  ~  Hell of a Town series at ASR3

Podfic by laurie_ky is also available for Hell of a Town:
  ~  Hell of a Town, MP3 format
  ~  Hell of a Town, audiobook format
 
 

Comments

[laurie-ky.livejournal.com]

I was really surprised that this hadn't been recc'ed before, but I'll cross it off my list of recs for my turn.

Thanks so much for including the podfic version. I appreciate it.

Laurie

[mab-browne.livejournal.com]

I'd have said 'thank you' for the lovely rec earlier, but LJ hasn't always been cooperative. :-)

[t-verano.livejournal.com]

Heh, so that's two now I've preempted from your rec list. (I wonder if the rec I posted this morning will make three...:-)) And yes, I was really surprised that several of the fics I've recced this month hadn't been recced yet.

I'm just glad I got my recs together a couple of months ago, considering how busy this month is being/has been. *Still* haven't read my first big bang fic (which will be the Sea Change 'verse fic; it's going to be my reward to myself for getting through this patch of grabby-handed RL busyness).

[t-verano.livejournal.com]

You're welcome -- but, you know, I have to ship those thanks back in your direction. Letting myself wallow a little more with these two fics and trying to condense a little of how I feel about them was pure delight. So, so, so much love for these fics and how you wrote them.