**Sorry this took forever to upload! I've had rehearsals and graduation and I've got shows this weekend and JUST got access to a computer (got a new laptop woot woot!) and I haven't had time to work on it. The shortness of this chapter is only so because I planned to upload two chapters at once, but it didn't work out the way I wanted it to and I figured you guys have waited long enough, so here you go! Enjoy! :D**

Underground London, England, 43 miles (69.2 km) from 221b Baker Street

-Later that night-

Five vampires walked angrily through the halls of their home towards their master's study, their skin cracked from their battles and their eyes red with thirst and anger. The Woman was leading them and yet no matter how hard she tried to mask her fear of their master with absolute and utter anger, it always managed to show through in her eyes. The mansion was silent for all movement seemed to have ceased in and outside the entire building, not a soul living or dead was around to hear the news of their mission. As they approached the study, the doors began to open and, as always, Jim was standing with his back to them as they entered and lined up side by side.

"Delta, Marcus, leave us," said Jim and the last two vampires flanking Irene left the room without question and closed the doors behind them, and the three vampires left were closed in a room they knew not how to escape except through that door, "My three highest-ranking captains could not take down one ignorant vampire and one man. Daddy's so terribly disappointed in you."

"Sir, we didn't anticipate—"

"Silence, Victor. You were put on this mission for one reason and one reason only: to take control of him."

"If you would listen, I was not myself during our time at Baker Street. I almost killed his doctor, but I know now that it is not my duty. Seeing him for the first time since—"

"Since what, Captain Trevor?" Irene questioned as she looked up at the blond, already knowing the answer.

Victor turned as if to mock her, but he looked upon her with disgust and disdain.

"Know your place, Miss Adler."

"I'm not the one who's jealous."

Victor glared down at her and opened his mouth to say something, but was only interrupted by Jim's laughter.

"If only I had as many people after me as Sherlock does," he laughed and silenced the other two entirely, "Sebastian, explain to me our scenario and how it can be appeased."

"Victor is still valuable in this mission, for he does not let his emotions get in the way...usually," Moran answered flatly, "but Miss Adler could put the mission in jeopardy with her obvious feelings for Holmes."

"No, no, we need the Dominatrix on this quest. She knows how the human body works better than either of you, especially in…special situations. We need her and she will work for us in more ways than one. Has Sherlock imprinted on Dr. Watson yet?"

"Yes sir."

"Has he formed the bond yet?"

"No sir. We were going to attempt to force it tonight, but the plan was abandoned when he attacked Victor in order to save Watson. We received two reports that the two had reconciled, Watson was attended to by himself, and he went to bed without Holmes following him or fear of being killed. Two spies remain stationed across the street in another flat and will give us more news by morning."

"Move them two or four blocks back. Sherlock's sense of smell has not dulled. He will know (if he doesn't already) that there are vampires that are not friendly nearby and he will seek their termination if it means keeping his soldier safe."

"Sir…?"

"We will extend his life until the end of the autumn. Both of them."

"Wait, I thought we weren't killing Holmes?" said Victor as he and Irene looked at each other with concern.

"You promised him to me," Irene protested, "This mission was for me—"

"Oh calm yourself, Irene. You'll have your chance. His heart is not mine to command."

"You…you changed him for me. He was supposed to be mine—"

"As I said, his heart is not mine to command. I just wanted a little taste of his blood and only brought him home as a mere present. As he said to you before, his own words turning on him now, sentiment is often found in the losing side."

Suddenly, the doors flew open and the young female vampire named Delta came running inside and stopped in front of the desk in a flash.

"Forgive me for interrupting, sir, but there's news from the spies," she said in a hurry.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Mr. Holmes has gone to Greg Lestrade for help with something and his supplies of blood are entirely empty."

"They were full when we were there last night," said Victor, "He must've drank them all after he realized how appealing John's blood was to him. Sir—"

"He's going to have to find more blood, otherwise John will be dead by the end of the week," said Moran.

"We must have John alive," said Jim, "Sebastian, you and Victor need to find Sherlock and bring him back to Irene. She needs to have a word with him."

"Where shall we bring him, sir?" Victor asked as he began to leave with Moran.

"The dining room," Irene answered with a small smirk, "John will get to meet the dogs."

The two taller men stopped in their tracks and looked back to Irene in slight disbelief.

"You know some of them can't be controlled," said Moran as he turned back to face her, "If we let them loose on Watson, he won't survive."

"We will keep those here. Send the three oldest as well as the two Jim dismissed. They know their place enough to not kill a valuable possession."

"And what if they do?"

"Then so—"

"She will be killed, as will they," Victor answered for her, "Vampires who imprint will avenge their loved one to the death, even if it ends in their own. But Sherlock is a strong vampire and should not be underestimated. We will bring you Holmes, but you have to make sure the dogs do not kill John. They kill him and the entire mission will be terminated, as well as your life."

"I don't understand why it would matter—"

"Of course you wouldn't. You've never cared about anyone but yourself and James is feeding that to see how far you will go."

"And he's not feeding Sherlock to you? I know you go and watch him—"

"To protect him from people like you."

"Why shouldn't he be protected from people like you? You've been pining after him since that night-"

"Children, children please!" Jim moaned and walked around his desk to face them, "We have alternative motives: Irene wants Sherlock to come running back to her, Victor doesn't want him hurt by another lover, and I want to watch him dance. We will keep him alive only for him to watch his doctor die. Victor, you need to get to John before Sherlock returns. Sebastian, get after Sherlock. I want him back here before midnight."

"Yes sir," they said in unison and immediately left the room, leaving Jim and Irene alone together again. She looked at him as one would look upon a crushed insect that she feared would come back to life at any second.

"You need to learn your place, Irene," Jim growled, "Just because you are the fair female leader of our coven does not mean you get to the chew toy first. A fair queen waits until the toy has been played with enough and she then delivers the final blow."

"You know nothing of monarchy," she hissed and set her stance, his hands balled into fists at her sides.

"And you know nothing of proper discipline. You are to wait here for Sherlock Holmes and you are not to kill him. The idea of this game is for him to suffer as his John does. Do you understand?"

Irene took a deep breath before she chose to answer, and only did so with a nod before being dismissed. Jim watched her as she left and the moment she was out the door, he turned to watch the four vampires climb the wall to the city and disappear behind it. He hummed softly as he walked around his desk and walked his fingers along the wood as if he were playing pretend like a child.

"Jack and Jill ran up the hill," he muttered and grabbed a knife from his pocket, "to fetch a pail of blood. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill waltzed right into his mud."

There was a loud crack as the knife was shoved deep into the wood of his desk over the photograph of John in his file containing all the information Irene, Victor, and Moran had gathered.

"Such a shame...he only wanted a flatmate."