AN: Hello everyone! I'm sure you have all been waiting for this new chapter, thank you all for being so patient as i have started school again, i might not be able to type as much or keep to my updates regularly. Anyway, i want to thank all of you who have given ideas into the story, i will use them in the future of this story as of now, typing has progressed well into chapter seventeen just to let you all know. Do read and leave me comments on what you think, you can drop me a PM or just leave a comment here :) I would really love to hear from my readers! Thank you guys once again and happy reading!

Chapter 3: Conditions

On the morning of the day that John was going to leave, he went to visit the cave once more. Lestrade had sent him all the information that he needed the night before and John had had his plans sorted out and his things packed and ready to go. He would leave in the evening, it would allow him to have just enough time to talk to the man who was frozen in ice one last time before he left for the city.

This time, just before he left however, John couldn't help but to lean in to the ice and press his lips just above where the man's own lips were. "I'll come back to see you again and hopefully by then something would have happened."

Just as he was about to leave though, there was a loud cracking sound that ricocheted of the walls of the cave and John turned back to look, the ice tomb was cracking! He found himself rushing back towards it, his torch shining over the surface of the ice, watching and waiting.

Blue grey eyes opened and stared out at him and John, startled, dropped the torch. The beam of light skittering around as the torch rolled away from him. Just as suddenly, the ice split open in half and the body fell out. Still in shock, John's arms instinctively stretched out managing to catch the man but not without tumbling and falling into the ground with a weight pinning him from on top.

His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he lay there, holding on to the other who was pinning him down with his body. It was only then as his hands held the other did John realize that something was well and truly wrong. His skin was cool to the touch as was his breath, which right now was fanning against the base of John's neck, making his pulse race. Another thing John realized was when the man pulled back, his beautiful blue grey's had disappeared and a haunting red had taken over.

"Y-You're…a…vampire…" John whispered as fear struck him down to his core. He had been here, visiting a vampire for god knows how long and never once had he even thought of that possibility. Now he lay there pinned beneath him, drained from strength as terror paralyzed him, he was helpless. Utterly helpless.

"John…" the vampire rasped, looking into his eyes.

"You know my name?" John asked his voice shaky.

"I could hear you speaking," he said.

"Are you going to kill me?" John asked again, for some reason the fear had dissipated and he lay there beneath the vampire, not fighting, not putting up any resistance.

"You saved me. I don't think you deserve to die," the vampire replied, slowly moving to get off him as he stood now.

John followed suit, standing there in the partial darkness, brushing the dirt off himself as he looked to the vampire again. He had to remind himself that this was a vampire just like all the rest that he had met and killed before. He was no different.

"I will grant you three wishes," he said and John stared at him incredulously, was this some sort of joke?

"What? Are you kidding me?" John asked watching as the vampire shook his head, "Can you really give me what I want?" he asked.

"If it is within my power to, yes," he replied.

"Alright," John said, "but first I want to know your name."

"My name…is Sherlock Holmes. You have two wishes left."

John furrowed his brows, "That wasn't a wish, Sherlock," he said as he shook his head, trying the vampire's name out on his tongue, "I was asking your name.

"Yes it was. You wished to know my name. Now hurry on with the other two wishes," Sherlock urged him, his eyes raking over his savior that stood before him. He was a little shorter than himself, dressed right now in a collared shirt with a jumper over it, casual jeans and boots. He was in a way sort of attractive, his savior. Wind blown golden blonde hair, and cerulean blue eyes that stared at him. The way John had said his name, he liked it. He liked how John furrowed his brows and he liked how John was so defensive. Above all he liked how John smelled, so human, so unique.

John thought for a moment what could he ask for that was in the vampire's range of help. He was going into town to hunt to Harriet's vampire lover. He'd heard that the town was overrun was vampires. It would be dangerous for him as one human man alone to go into town. Plus moments before he had found out Sherlock was who –what – he was, John had wanted him to follow him so badly. So he settled on that choice.

"I want you to follow me," John said, intending to use him as a means of power and strength to help him defeat the other vampires, "into town," he added just incase.

"Follow you…" Sherlock muttered pacing the area now, watching as John went to retrieve the torchlight from where it had rolled to on the ground. He had his own things on his mind. He needed to find out how he had gotten trapped inside that tomb of ice for one. Somehow his memories were so foggy that he couldn't remember anything. He also needed to know what day and age it was and how long it had been since he'd last walked the ground. John could help him. He looked well versed in that area, since from what Sherlock had heard from him in his time frozen solid that John was a hunter.

"I will follow you. But, on one condition," Sherlock said.

"And that is?" John asked, his eyebrow raised.

"That you help me find whoever or whatever did this to me," Sherlock said pointing to the shattered remains of the tomb of ice that had held him.

"You don't know who did that to you?" John asked somehow feeling a little pity at the vampire's plight but he soon tossed that feeling away. He had to remind himself that this one, Sherlock, was just like any other vampire and he wasn't to be treated any differently. They could be on good terms for now, because they each needed to use what skill the other had to offer.

"If you keep to your side of the bargain then I'll keep to mine," John said, his voice hard now as he shone the torch at Sherlock.

"Very well," Sherlock replied, a little smirk on his lips, his fangs just barely glinting in the light of the torch.

"Good. Then let's get you back," John said leading the way.

Over the years, John had noticed that vampires had adapted to living in the sunlight. They could stay out for long hours in the light as long as they had enough energy and this applied to Sherlock. Apparently, he wasn't one of those, because he kept cringing every time the sunlight was too bright and the journey back to the mansion that wasn't too far away was slowed down twice as much. Obviously this was so, John thought, Sherlock hadn't been out in…years probably.

Sherlock could feel the rawness in his throat, the rawness of not having fed for years. The heat wasn't doing much to help his condition and neither was John. Of course, what was he expecting? Kindness from a hunter? John seemed to be the most merciless of them all…yet…before he had broken out of the ice…John had seemed so kind and caring. Something struck him then, a flash of the past. A wicked grin, a hysterical laugh. Pain shot through him and he had to lean against the trunk of the tree to rest. His breath shallow now as he tried to regain control of his senses.

"Sherlock," someone was calling him. His vision focused on his savior's face again and he realized that the man was holding his jumper out to him, "use it to cover yourself from the sun. It's not much but that's all I can offer, the house is just a little ways more." Sherlock draped the jumper over his head tying the sleeves just under his chin as he stood again, willing his feet to move forward as he followed John back to his house.