Flying Burn
Disclaimers: Nothing is owned by me ... except the boxset of the first four seasons of Sherlock BBC & 2 coloring books. For now lol
AN: A long-awaited third sequel in the Death Series. This is a short ficlet & then Death Series 4 will be another full-length feature, as will the Death Series 5 Prequel. This short was inspired by something that recently happened to me.
Previous is Death Series 2: Irene's Choice (one-shot) & previous to that is Death Series 1: Dance With Death (29 chapters).
Summary: Despite the exposure of vampires, Sherlock returns with John to work with Lestrade.
(1) The Game Is On Again
It had been three months since Sherlock had turned Irene before she had left the Holmes castle in the Cheviots. Merlin had shown up & taken her under his literal wing, leaving Sherlock to deal with the four new wolves. Though Jessica & Derek were too young to transform still, their parents on the other hand, still suffered their lunar shift every month.
John had a taming effect on Mary & she was slowly warming up to Sherlock & Sherrinford. She was a pure white wolf during full moon. It had taken Sherlock ages to get close to her during those times. Mary was always curled up next to John, who was more of a golden yellow, but she would instantly run off whenever either of the Holmes approached them in the night. On the full moon just past, she had finally cowed behind John, but accepted honeycombs tossed her way so long as they were left on the ground.
The Watson pair still ran with the Grant pack but in time, they would eventually rebuild their own clan as the two pups grew up. Meanwhile, Sherlock, Sherrinford & occasionally Enola, would look after them every month. Enola had to stay inside now during the night of the full moon for she was once again human. The pups couldn't do anything to her, but the adults would eat her. She could watch the wolves from the window, but no longer was able to be out among them as her remaining brothers could do.
Mycroft was still off topic. His loss had been hard on all of them, even Sherlock, despite all their quarrels with him. Enola absent-mindedly fondled the clear crystal she wore around her neck hanging from a gold chain as she watched John push Sherlock down in the garden before rolling over for a belly rub, his creamy fur gleaming in the moonlight. It was filled with ashes. They all had one now. It was all they had left of Mycroft.
When the day came & the wolves returned to human form, Enola went downstairs at last. She found John stretched out on a couch with Mary sitting in an armchair nearby. After sharing a silent look with him, Enola asked, "Has anyone seen Sherlock?"
"No," John replied. "Just woke up." They stared at each other some more before Enola went on her way. John looked at Mary. "Ooo. Firecracker, that one! Watch out, & she's human now."
He had said it loud enough for Enola to hear. After all, he was the one who had cured her but they still had a love/hate relationship. Mostly just hate. Enola rolled her eyes as she turned away. She ended up nearly crashing into Sherrinford who was standing near one of their Lycans. "Where is Sherlock?" She asked.
"He left," said Vivianna, Jacob's sister. "Just after we all changed back. He said he was going out to help a friend."
"Did he say who?"
"No," Vivianna shrugged. "He's been taking off a lot, though. Ever since Irene left."
"There's no way he's going to see her, anymore," Enola said. "He only dates humans."
"Didn't Irene have a female playmate?"
"Oh!" Enola clued in. "That might explain it."
"Enola," Sherrinford began. "We can go whenever you're ready to head back to London." He turned & walked down the main hall, rolling his eyes.
"Heading home?" Vivianna asked.
"Yeah, it was my turn to deal with the pups," Enola laughed.
"It's so weird, you being human," Vivianna mused. "Will you ever come back?"
"Not for a while," said Enola. "I'm only twenty-three as far as my human life is concerned."
"Don't wait too long," said Vivianna. "It's only Sherlock & Sherrinford out there with us now. We've lost two caretakers in the same day & now Irene is gone as well."
"I know," Enola replied softly, putting a hand to her crystal of Mycroft's ashes.
Sherrinford was already waiting for her in the small limo. She got in beside him. It wasn't often they made the long drive down but at the moment, they had little contact with the outside world & the Holmes helicopters had been silent for a while. Sherrinford turned the car for London before finally muttering, "Katie is too young for Sherlock."
"What?"
"Sherlock doesn't do anyone under thirty, remember?" Sherrinford pointed out. "Katie is not that old yet."
"I wonder who he's with then?"
"I have a pretty good idea," Sherrinford scowled. When they arrived in London, he parked the car & got out with Enola.
"Are you planning on staying a while?"
"Sort of," Sherrinford said. "I'm going to check around some of his old haunts."
"Shane, be careful," Enola warned, using his first name. "People know you're a vampire now."
"My face is not well-known," Sherrinford said. "But his is & everyone knows he is a vampire as well." He turned & headed into the street to disappear into the crowds.
"Anderson, set the lines up!" Lestrade ordered, pulling out his mobile. "Don't let anyone in this house, right now." He let his officers set up the crime scene. It was a double homicide. He looked down over the two covered bodies. London had been having a lot of murders, lately. It seemed to have spiked ever since that day just over a year ago when vampires were once more made known to the world. Lestrade wondered if it was due to vampires, or just humans. Or perhaps the fact that he no longer had help from Sherlock Holmes whom he had not seen since the loss of Mycroft. He turned away from the sight & stood in the doorway looking out, still on his mobile. He missed the impish face in the window.
Sherlock grinned widely, slowly sliding the window open, & slipped inside. He looked around the area & under the bloodied sheets, his ears ever trained on Lestrade still talking on his mobile.
"Alright well, I gotta go," Lestrade finally said.
Sherlock stopped what he was doing & silently flipped out the window. Lestrade turned back to the scene. Something was different, but what? He shook it off & closed the window, not noticing Sherlock right under it, hiding in the rose bushes.
"Find anything?" Anderson asked as he came in.
"I'm just starting," Lestrade said. "I closed the window so the wind won't affect anything here."
"The window was closed."
"No, I just closed it."
"Greg, it WAS closed."
Lestrade just stared at him. "Whatever."
"I'll start taking some no—where is my notebook?"
"Check your cruiser," Lestrade replied absent-mindedly.
Sherlock had his wings open & he flitted up to the roof to hide behind the chimney. He watched Anderson retrieve his notebook. Once the cop had disappeared again, Sherlock dropped down into a mist & walked by Lestrade's cruiser. He tossed in his own notebook. "Case solved." Sherlock shot into the air & disappeared into the clouds.
A few hours later, Lestrade was back in the office, at his desk with papers & note pads spread out before them. He put the files from his cruiser into his drawer, then paused. He seemed to have a lot more files than he remembered writing up.
"Tea sir?"
"Hmm? Oh sure. Thanks," Lestrade accepted the cup of hot liquid. He closed the drawer & soon forgot about all the extra files he seemed to have. He finished that cup & went for a refill. When he returned to his desk, he found a file on it that he didn't remember taking out.
"I think we have a busted water pipe or something," Sally interrupted him just as he was about to look through the file. "This is the fifth time there is basically a cloud in this building, this time in my office."
Lestrade put the file away & got up to look. "I've seen it before. My office twice & the lunchroom the other day." He looked around. "Well, it is an old building. Might be due for an upgrade. I'm going to head out for lunch." He went back to his office to grab his coat ... & there the file lay on his desk again. He glanced around before quickly hiding it under his jacket as he left. He planned to have a look at it while eating.
"Come on, Mary," John held the door open. "This is what we do as humans."
"There's a lot of people in there," Mary twitched her nose, sniffing. "Who owns this place?"
"A restaurant is public domain," John said. "Aren't you hungry?"
"Yes," Mary slunk in behind him. She was still shy even in human form but being with John had opened up a whole new world to her.
John led her to a table & was about to sit down, but he caught sight of someone sitting at the next table. "Greg?"
Lestrade glanced around. "John! What are you doing here?" He got up & grabbed John into a hug.
"Just showing Mary the sights."
"Who's this?" Lestrade held a hand out.
Mary stared at him then looked at John. "It's ok," John nodded. "Do what I showed you. Greg's an old friend of ours." Mary slowly shook hands with him.
"What's going on?" Lestrade asked.
"She's feral," John shrugged. "Sherlock & I are slowly taming her."
Lestrade blinked. "Are you vampires?" He whispered under breath.
"No no, oh God no!" John exclaimed. "Really Greg, am I that annoying?"
"Well, no of course not," Lestrade laughed.
"We're Lycans," John finished.
There was a long moment of silence. "I gotta sit down." Lestrade all but dropped into his chair.
"Why did you tell him what we are?" Mary asked.
"Greg's an old friend," John repeated. "He's trustworthy. He knows what Sherlock is."
Lestrade looked up at him. "How is he?"
"They're doing better," John said. "Mycroft's still not a topic of discussion, yet."
"I saw him explode into ash," Lestrade replied quietly. "I can still hear Sherlock screaming his brother's name. He was just off to the side of whoever filmed it but he is heard in the video. It was all caught on camera." He sat back in his seat. "It still doesn't seem real Mycroft is dead. I mean. You know. Actually dead. Why don't you guys sit down with me?"
"Sure," John let Mary slide into the bench first so she was by the window & then sat down beside her, both across from Lestrade.
"So," Lestrade went on once they were settled. "Where'd you find this beauty?" He smiled quickly at Mary.
"She found me," said John.
"He crossed my territory."
"She jumped me & stole my muffins."
"Then I mated with him."
"MARY!" John turned a bright red. "That's not exactly how humans talk at the table."
Lestrade choked back on his food before asking as casually as possible. "Did she turn you?"
"No, I apparently already was a Lycan, just dormant," John answered, explaining what happened. "So no, Greg, I was not raped. It was two opposing werewolf clans in a den & that was my first full moon."
"I could update the file if you want," Lestrade offered. "Right now, it's listed as a sexual assault."
"I know, but then we'd have to explain the fact that Lycans also exist," John pointed out. "We didn't get exposed like the vampires did."
"Perhaps, but most people associate vampires with werewolves so it wouldn't be a surprise," Lestrade shrugged. "It's upto you. Just let me know."
"Maybe some day," John said. "Right now, I'm letting Mary know what it's like to be human. Unlike vampires, we are only wolves once a month. Mary was completely wild. So I've been showing her around. We have twins & I want them to have as normal a life as possible."
"Back up! You ... what?" Lestrade gaped. "Did you just say you have twins?"
"Yeah, right here," John pulled out his mobile & opened all the photos. "Jessica & Derek. About five months old."
"Oh John, you sly old dog, you!" Lestrade took the mobile & began scrolling.
"Literally," John laughed. After a few moments, he reached over. "Here, let me show you something." Lestrade handed the mobile back & John searched through it for a bit. "This is us. Mary's the white one. I'm the gold one."
Lestrade looked down at the new set of photos. "Those are wolves." He looked up at John for a moment. "You?"
"Yes. Once a month. Every full moon, we turn into that." said John. "Hurts like hell during the transformation but not as bad as that first one."
Lestrade kept looking through the photos. "Where are your twins?"
"They won't start shifting until they're much older," said John. "Right now mostly, they sleep it off. Keep scrolling, you'll find some of Sherlock, Enola & Sherrinford."
A photo soon turned up with the three remaining Holmes sitting on a couch. Sherlock had his wings open, icy color that matched his eyes. Enola sat beside him in a simple white dress & then Sherrinford was on her other side, in a business suit for he, too, worked for the Secret Service, but he was not as meddlesome in Sherlock's life as Mycroft had been. All three wore the same clear diamond shaped pendant, hanging on delicate gold chains. The bottom halves of each pendant was black. Sherlock's hair was once more flat & his eyes had a hint of red in them. "He looks so different," Lestrade mused. He suddenly realized he was looking at all four of them. "I take it that's Mycroft in those pendants?" He glanced at John who nodded. "All the same, he still also looks the same. Still ready to annoy the hell out of you."
"He does," John groaned. "Ohh he does! Some things don't change." Lestrade smiled as he found a video & played it.
"John. JOHN!" Sherlock's voice was yelping. "Get off! You're squashing me! Why don't you go say hello to Shane, huh? OW! GET OFF!"
The video was on a full moon. Sherlock was flat on his back, wings splayed out over the grass, while the golden wolf trampled all over him, happy to see him. John eventually had turned right around to sit on Sherlock's throat, tail wagging over the annoyed vampire's face while his front paws kneaded Sherlock's abdomen & looking mighty pleased with himself.
"Please tell me you do that to him every full moon?" Lestrade asked.
"I try to!" John grinned.
"Whoa!" Lestrade dropped the mobile to the table & leaned back. "Ok, those are new!"
John quickly covered his mouth with one hand. "I keep forgetting." He kept a hand up so no one else could see. "Lycan fangs are smaller than vampire ones & we can't hide them. I'm stuck with these for life."
"Are you saying, you can bite someone & turn them?"
"Yes & I can also kill Sherlock with a single bite," John said. "He can do the same to me. Vampire venom & werewolf venom don't mix. That's why it's safe for him to be out with us at night. We don't eat vampires but we would go crazy in a city of humans, apparently. So the Holmes castle is a safe haven for all involved. Most vampire families take care of a pack or two. Holmes have the Grant pack & my pack."
"I was under the impression vampires & werewolves just want to kill each other," Lestrade said.
"I always want to kill Sherlock but I keep that in the subconscious," John said. "And that was while I thought we were all still human."
"True," Lestrade turned on his own mobile which had been ringing. "Yeah? You found someone to fix it? What do you mean the mist moved?" John instantly looked up as Lestrade mentioned mist. "I'll be over in a bit. Bringing in a friend to see you all. No, not Sherlock. I found John!" He hung up.
"What's this about mist?" John asked immediately.
"We've been having some environmental problems," Lestrade explained. "We're thinking a pipe burst."
"Greg, that's a vampire!"
"What?"
"That is a vampire," John repeated. He explained what Mycroft had done to him, pulling in mist to hide. "They do that."
The three of them glanced at each other. "That bastard!" Lestrade jumped up. "I had a feeling he was around." They all but raced out the door while Lestrade was once more calling his officers. "Sally? Seal up the place! Close all the blinds. Do not let that mist escape!"
"Let it ... escape? Sir?"
"CLOSE EVERYTHING!"
"Sir! Yes sir! Right away!"
"Where is it, right now?" Lestrade continued as they got into the cruiser. John had a bit of a hard time convincing Mary to get into the 'cage' in the back seat but she eventually slipped in.
"Your office."
"Of course he is," Lestrade muttered.
"Sir?"
"Seal that off," Lestrade said. "John & I can deal with him."
"Who, Sir?" Sally asked but Lestrade had already closed the call & was driving down the road as fast as legally possible.
Lestrade nearly spun the cruiser into place as they came to a screeching halt in front of the main doors & the three of them tumbled out. Lestrade held the door open long enough for the other two to get in, then closed it & bolted it shut. Donovan & Anderson both appeared, hands on their guns but Lestrade shook his head. "Bullets don't stop vampires."
"Vampires!" Donovan gasped. "You think one is here?
"Yes," Lestrade nodded. "Now where is the bloody sod? SHERLOCK?" He hurried down the hall towards his office. Donovan & Anderson stared at each other. Lestrade kicked open his door & saw swirling fog & a black sheet covering his chair. "There you are, Sherlock. I know it's you." He reached over, grabbed John's collar & hauled him into the mist. "He told me what Mycroft did with the mist. Now, I've had some files & note books going around that none of us wrote & cases have been solved easily, recently. I know this is you!"
The mist vanished & there he sat, in Lestrade's chair, shirtless since his wings were spread open, file drawer open, feet up & crossed on the table. Arrogant as ever. "Oh for God's sake, John! You Watsons always were a troublesome pack." John glared at him.
Sherlock stood up as Lestrade came around & hugged him, wings & all; Sherlock looking more & more awkward by the second. John turned away, smothering a laugh. "Why are you staying away?" Lestrade finally released him.
"I don't want to end up in a crystal vial." Sherlock curled one finger under the pendant he had & held it up. "Enola made them."
"I am so sorry for what happened to your brother, Sherlock," Lestrade began.
Sherlock conceded the topic with a mere nod, then he hissed loudly at the door. All turned to see Sally Donovan staring at him. "You!" She snarled. "I was right, wasn't I? You dare come back here?"
"Well, now that I'm exposed, you can see my true nature," Sherlock replied. "What was that you told John, once? That some day I would get bored of the crimes & start the killings myself? I am almost three thousand years old. I've already killed plenty before you were even born."
"Sherlock," John muttered as Sally's eyes went wide.
"I'm quite probably the world's greatest assassin," Sherlock went on, ignoring John. "But in this modern age, assassin is not the best of occupations, so I am reduced to a mere Consulting Detective."
"Sherlock," Lestrade tried.
"I have walked with kings, flown as high as the angels &, quite recently, have been sunk twelve thousand feet into the depths of a very frigid hell," Sherlock continued. "I took part in the dance of Stonehenge while it was still in use." He leaned back against the desk, wings spread out behind him, lying over it. "We're talking kings & successions, even you can't be caught unawares."
"Oh God, he's quoting the Lion King," John moaned, then suddenly wondered how the hell Sherlock knew that one.
"I have seen empires rise & fall & took part in the slaying of Lord Dracula himself," Sherlock paused.
Lestrade whispered to himself under breath, "Dracula ... ?"
"What have you done?" Sherlock inquired rhetorically. "A mere human girl who's mortal life is already half over. You have what, another fifty years to live, perhaps? A million years from now, I could still be standing here."
"Sherlock!" John & Lestrade both snapped as Sally turned & fled down the hall.
Sherlock looked at Lestrade & burst out laughing. He soon shut up as Lestrade continued to glare at him. "Are you really three thousand years old?" Lestrade finally asked.
"Yes ... ?" Sherlock droned out. "What of it?"
"But you've never grown up in all that time?" Lestrade complained.
"Adulting is boring," Sherlock deadpanned. John bent over, sputtering out a laugh.
"Put your coat on!" Lestrade handed over the long familiar black coat. "John's right. Some things never change." He shook his head as Sherlock's steely wings snapped & sunk out of sight so he could get dressed, before going on, "Have either of you even checked your old blogs at all this past year?"
"Why would we?" Sherlock replied in a bored voice, picking up the black sheet & quickly wiping his blood off the desk with it. "We're trying to stay out of sight. I have new wolves to tend to. Also, a lot of bee hives."
"Bee hives?" Lestrade echoed, almost mocking.
"Bee hives," John nodded. "Lycans like honeycombs."
"You're reduced to a bee keeper?" Lestrade failed to keep his face straight.
"I know," Sherlock agreed. "It is a most miserable existence but it is either that, or this." He tapped his pendant once. He then opened a tin of honeycomb & gave two pieces to John, who in turn gave one to Mary. "It's the best way to train the wolves," Sherlock said, putting the tin away.
"Sherlock, it isn't like how it used to be," Lestrade began. "After the exposure, people went crazy for anything on vampires. I've turned away a lot of fans, all wanting pictures & autographs with both of you. They ask if you turned John or he turned you. All of England still want you boys back together. Vampires are trendy right now." Sherlock rolled his eyes while John looked more & more horrified by the moment. "Also, the um, uh, well ... the Titanic is popular, again. Because of Mycroft, you know?" After a sharp look from Sherlock, Lestrade quickly finished with, "Oh & Mrs. Hudson keeps calling. She wants you guys back."
"I did leave one of my violins in the old flat," Sherlock said.
"John, check your old blog," Lestrade said. "You'll see. Everyone wants you both back. Besides, you might want to clear up all the rumours."
"Rumours? Rumours. What rumours?" John asked.
"Too many to count," Lestrade waved it off. "Perhaps you should start with Mrs. Hudson. Have you even gone to see her once since all this happened?"
"No," Sherlock replied.
But John said, "I have."
"What?" Sherlock glared red at him.
"She's a friend, Sherlock," John replied.
"I suppose I must humour some people," Sherlock said. John & Lestrade shared a glance. They were ganging up on Sherlock & it was slowly working to their favour.
"It won't hurt to go by the flat, at least," John tried.
"Very well, then," Sherlock gave in. "Lestrade, that file I kept putting out for you will help you in your current case. They are connected." At that, he turned & swept down the hall. "John?" Sherlock called expectantly as he neared the door.
"Of course, they are," Lestrade muttered as John left him to it.
"Oh my God! It's Sherlock! He's back!" was the instant cry up & down the street as the three of them stepped out in the open at last. John instinctively grabbed Mary's hand so she wouldn't spook. He turned to look at her, a big grin on his face.
"He'll act like he hates it & complain about it for a month," John began, leaning in close to her. "But he loves all the attention."
"John? I could use your help!" Sherlock declared as he tried to push through the crowd.
"Don't let go of me & don't bite or bark at any one," John whispered to Mary. "Just stay close." He wasn't a moment too soon either for the throng had instantly looked around once Sherlock had called his name. John held onto Mary's hand as tight as possible as they were instantly crowded.
"You're both back! Are you vampires, too? What's it like having a vampire around?"
"No, we're not vampires & well, Sherlock is Sherlock," John tried to answer everyone at once. "What he is doesn't change how he is."
"J-John?" Mary whimpered.
"Don't!" John looked her in the eye. "They mean us no harm. Do not let go of me."
John was worried she was about to bolt anyway, but a long loud hiss sent the crowd scattering. Sherlock stood there, fangs bared & eyes red for a moment. "Pardon me," He snarled, pulling in the fangs. "But do let my assistant & his wife through, please."
"Wife?" Several voices echoed.
Perfect. One less rumour to deal with later. "We need to go, but I will answer you on the blogs later. I've been busy." John said, pulling Mary along.
It took a while, but with Sherlock occasionally hissing at the people in the street, John was able to get through with Mary. No one mentioned the fact that the crowds parted whenever they were hissed at not in fear, but in swooning. People used to love it when an occasional wink from Sherlock had been seen in the past. Now they'd practically kill each other to be hissed at. Sherlock glowered at John as if it was somehow the doctor's fault before rolling his eyes shut for a moment. It was all John could do to not burst out laughing.
By the time they got to the street where the old 221B flat was, it was suddenly & unusually calm. Sherlock went up the steps first & rang the bell to summon Mrs. Hudson. She soon opened the door & let them into the hall.
"I was wondering if you boys would ever come back," She gushed over them. "But I don't think Sherlock would want to be here, right now."
"Why not?" Sherlock asked. "I am always happy to see you."
"Yeah, but he won't be," Mrs. Hudson replied. "He's in your flat right now & he's mad."
A beat of silence went by. "Sherrinford," Sherlock stated. That explained the quiet streets all of a sudden.
"Mhm," Mrs. Hudson said.
"Mary, come with me," John pulled her aside into Mrs. Hudson's own flat. "I'll put on the tea."
Sherlock glared at John's retreating back, realizing he would have to face his brother alone. "I will just be a moment," Sherlock marched up the stairs.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Sherrinford demanded the moment Sherlock opened the door.
"John insisted we visit Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock defended.
"William," Sherrinford began.
"Please not William," Sherlock complained under breath. "Shane."
"Those blogs are blowing up as we speak!" Sherrinford ignored him. "You've been seen downtown. You've been with Lestrade. Whatever happened to staying out of sight?"
"Lestrade caught me."
"Rubbish!" Sherrinford snapped. "You LET him."
"I did not!"
"You did, too!" Sherrinford insisted. "You're helping him solve a case."
"Three cases, actually," Sherlock said. "All connect—"
"I DON'T CARE!" Sherrinford shut his youngest brother up. "You honestly think you could go back to that life after people found out you're a vampire? You have two enemies on the force, you know. Donovan & Anderson."
"I'd hardly call them enemies," Sherlock tried. "More like nuisances."
"We have lost Mycroft," Sherrinford said. "I am nowhere near ready to see another one of us reduced to this." He picked up Sherlock's pendant for a moment. "John can go back. His kind did not get exposed. But you? Your face is already well known & now vampires are well known."
"I'll work discreetly," Sherlock shrugged. "John can take the lead."
"Sherlock," Sherrinford buried his face in his hands for a bit.
"Does Sherlock get along well with Sherrinford?" Mrs. Hudson asked John. "I know he was always fighting with Mycroft."
"All three of them were at Mycroft's throat," John said. "He was the one who turned them. I think Sherrinford might handle Sherlock better than My—"
There was a thunderous crash. A loud & long hiss & one icy wing flailed pitifully in Mrs. Hudson's window for a moment while Sherlock floundered around in the bins trying to right himself. She opened the window & looked down on Sherlock, with John & Mary peering around her on either side.
"That is the second set of rubbish bins I will have to replace thanks to you Holmes boys, young man!" Mrs. Hudson raised a brow at him.
" ... Err ... he's actually about three thousand years old," John corrected her.
"Three thousand?" Mrs. Hudson exclaimed. "Oh my goodness! He acts like he's two!"
Sherlock hissed at her next as he finally found his feet. John snorted & turned away, dying of laughter. Sherlock glared upwards, calculating. He looked like a cat about spring. With a great thrust of his wings, he suddenly shot upwards to one of the windows of the flat & slammed in. Broken glass sparkled as it rained down.
"That's going into your rent, Sherlock!" Mrs. Hudson yelled out the window a moment later. Looking upwards, a long wing could still be seen dangling out of the window-frame. It tore on a chunk of glass still in the frame as Sherlock yanked it inside.
Sherlock yelled in pain & went to his knees, cradling his torn wing in his arms. It took a few minutes to knit together as new membrane formed. He let it go. "I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF, SHERRINFORD!" His angry bellow could be heard by half the block.
"Yes," Sherrinford derided, looking over the streak of blood left by Sherlock's open wings, still dripping into the carpet. "I can see that."
"Do you think he'll be allowed to stay with you?" Mrs. Hudson asked John.
"I'm not really sure what will happen," John admitted. "Mary & I have twins now, remember. The flat won't be big enough for all six of us."
"Six?"
"Sherrinford would be part of the deal, no doubt," John pointed out.
"Right, of course."
The door burst open a moment later & in walked Sherlock, followed by his remaining brother. "Why don't we ask Mrs. Hudson how she feels about our kind?" Sherlock was snapping. He was suddenly jerked into a standstill as Sherrinford stomped down.
"This is a matter of international security for all species involved!"
Sherlock tugged but was unable to move. "GET OFF MY WINGS!"
"It isn't just vampires at stake now, if you'll forgive the expression," Sherrinford placed his other foot on Sherlock's wings. "What about John? It's only a matter of time before Lycans are exposed." Sherlock stopped tugging to share a look with John. Sherrinford went on, "Don't forget I outrank you twice over. Like Mycroft, I work in the government. I also outrank you in the Undead Law."
Sherlock snarled through gritted fangs, then suddenly went crazy. He was jumping & spinning as fast as he could, like a fox with its paw caught in a trap. There was a horrendous snap. Blood flowed over the floor & Sherlock went down in tears. He had just half torn off one wing in a frenzy. He panted in pain & then was about to try again.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sherrinford shrieked. "Fine, put your wings away then!" He got off at last. He picked up the torn piece of Sherlock's left wing. It trembled for a few more moments, then fell from his fingers as ash, leaving only a stump of the ridge left in his hand. "OUCH!" Sherlock had just flipped around & bitten Sherrinford in the leg, all four of his large saber-like fangs sunk right in. "You son of a bitch!"
Sherlock sat back on the floor, looking pleased with himself. "Easy, Sherry. That's our mother you're talking about." Sherrinford just glared at him, seeing red.
"Shane," John stood up. "Can we go outside & talk?"
"What could you possibly have to say about Sherlock's arrogance that I already don't know about?"
"Let's just ... please," John pushed on Sherrinford's arm. "Outside now." He turned to Sherlock. "You lie there & heal up. Then help Mrs. Hudson by cleaning up all the blood you left, everywhere. Shane? Let's go. NOW!" He hustled the oldest Holmes brother out the door. He was about to go up to the flat he had once shared with Sherlock, but the stairs were slick with blood. John went outside instead. "We are going to walk around the block, then we'll talk."
"John, I don't see the point."
"Let's just walk," John started forward. After a few minutes, he asked, "By the way, what happens when a vampire bites another vampire?" He glanced down at Sherrinford's leg.
"Nothing," Sherrinford replied. "I'm already turned. It just hurts. It will heal."
"Ok," John began walking again. "You know, I've known your family for a while now. Mostly Sherlock. But I've met all four of you often enough. Now back in the day, when I thought we were all human & before I knew you & Enola existed, I always thought it was just Mycroft & Sherlock fighting as a big brother would do with his little brother. Then the secrets start coming out. I met you & your sister & my first thought was 'Oh God, there's four of them?' Then, more secrets came out & now we've lost Mycroft."
"Your point?"
"At first I thought you all bickered with Mycroft for what he did to you thousands of years ago," John said. "But that isn't the problem." He leaned against the wall. "Fact is, what Mycroft did saved all of you."
"We still resented him for it," Sherrinford said.
"Perhaps a little," John replied. "But you fight with Sherlock just as much as he does & you said something up there a few minutes ago that made a lot of sense."
"What's that?"
"Sherlock told me how Micah managed to trick everyone into turning against you," John said. "You weren't always vampires. You were human first, with lives. Families. I know all about Sherlock's dead family up there in that cemetery. But vampirism is not the first condition you all had to deal with. Sherlock was born very different from the rest of you."
"I know that!"
John looked at him. "You know that NOW! But thousands of years ago, people didn't know what caused such things like OCD or Asperger's or anything on that spectrum. Sherlock does not fight with Enola like he does with you or Mycroft, does he? Enola is the youngest & also a girl. Back then, women were also treated very differently. But you three boys, the youngest got born different. Naturally, you pick on him. Then you lord it over him by pulling ranks in both the British government as well as the Undead one. When you said that, I realized what was going on. You act like you own him."
"So what if I do? He is my baby brother & he needs care."
"Sherlock is a lot smarter than what you give him credit for," John replied. "Now, he is almost three thousand years old, but like anyone knows, he still acts like a child. He never had a chance to grow up properly. He was still figuring that out when he got married back then & he got married because it was expected of him. He was probably good at hiding his difference so outsiders wouldn't torture or kill him. Then Mycroft literally swooped in & turned you all. Sherlock never stood a chance. Don't you see what's happening?" When Sherrinford didn't reply, John finished. "He is trying to spread his proverbial wings but all he knows how to do is spread his physical ones because both his older brothers kept holding him back."
"I know he is different," Sherrinford began. "It was really hard for all of us. People like him could be accused of all manner of things. Executed for no reason other than to get rid of the problem."
"Back then, people with such conditions were a disgrace to families," John said. "Now, I'm willing to bet my best gun that you always kept him hidden until he managed to act half-normal."
"We didn't mistreat him," Sherrinford defended. "We mostly didn't talk about him, didn't expose him to the world much until he could control it. But we didn't put him in chains or beat him over it, either."
"You as good as," John disagreed. "You sheltered him, then. Understandable. But you're still doing it now. It's no longer needed. Shane, this is three thousand years later. This is the age of acceptance, now."
"Oh really?" Sherrinford scoffed. "In your own lifetime now, people like him were still put into institutions. That's barely forty years ago. If that."
"Still in the past, Shane," John said. "We don't even use certain words now considered slurs any more. Now, it's just difference. Or in Arabia, they're called children of determination. There is a lot more information on how to handle those across the whole spectrum & let's face it, Sherlock's got a few issues besides being a vampire as well. But in this day & age, he has a lot more support. Just look at my blog blowing up. People are fascinated by both of us. Most of them know he is a child-adult of determination & now everyone knows he is a vampire as well & has history with the world's most famous ship besides the Enterprise. But people still gush over him. He doesn't have to use those vampric charms on them. They just swoon. Him being a vampire & the connection your family has to the Titanic is just bonus material. Your brother is well-liked even if we hate him for being a royal pain in the arse."
"He is a pain in the arse," Sherrinford laughed. "But I worry about him."
"You're allowed that much," John said. "You are his brother & after what happened last year, I don't blame you for wanting to keep him close, but you're doing it wrong. If you want him close, you have to let him go. Otherwise, he won't want anything to do with you."
"He could get hurt out here," Sherrinford countered. "Or killed. Again. Completely."
"Shane, a bus can lose control & slide into the police force Sherlock likes to bother, killing everyone on the first floor in the blink of an eye," John said. "Does that stop Lestrade & his officers from going to work? To lunch? Back to their homes? There are a thousand ways to die."
"Not for vampires," Sherrinford said. "Only two for us. The ridge of another's wing," He held up the piece of ridge that Sherlock had snapped off. "Or your bite."
"All the more reason to let Sherlock loose," John said. "Very little can hurt him out here & what can would just as easily find him in your area as they would here." He sighed & looked up at the door. They had gone completely around the building. "There will always be haters. I'm sure some cults of extremest Christians would like nothing more than to exorcise the vampire out of him with crosses & holy water. There's still a few who don't understand the Autistic spectrum either but that's minimal now. Sherlock has a lot more support now than he did back then when you were all alive ... & he knows it. That's why he is trying to break free. You've allowed Enola to go her own way. Now it's Sherlock's turn."
"Enola is normal," Sherrinford said. "I'm not just talking about Sherlock's other problems but thanks to you, she is also returned to her humanity."
"You & Sherlock are both allowing her the freedom to choose if she wishes to turn back to a vampire again," John pointed out. "I think that's when, more than ever, Sherlock realized he is not being given the same opportunity. He needs to be treated as an equal." He went up the stairs. "I think once I sort through a year's worth of comments on my old blog, I'm going to 'come out' as well."
"So you are gay? Bisexual, I guess."
John blinked at him before going inside. "As a Lycan, Shane. As a Lycan."
"Wait, WHAT?" Sherrinford hurried after him.
"I'm going to explain the fact that I'm a werewolf," John said. "I'm going to get my case cleared. Lestrade's already offered since he knows. I was never raped. That was my first full moon & I want that cleared up."
"You can't do that!"
"What are you going to do to stop me?" John returned. "Besides, it's only a matter of time before some wolf somewhere gets found. It might be better if people know now."
"Doctor Watson!" Sherrinford hurried in after him. "Alright, let's say we do this your way. People like Sherlock. Like vampires. What about the other extreme?"
"The other extreme?"
"I overheard Lestrade when you guys were confronting Sherlock back there," Sherriford admitted. "I was drifting there on the ceiling. He said he had to turn away hundreds of fans since neither of you were around. I've also run into that problem. People will want Sherlock or you to turn them. They'll go crazy for it."
"Oh come on, Shane!" John rolled his eyes. "Sherlock & I aren't going to start turning silly fans on a whim. It doesn't matter that they ask. It matters that we won't do it. If anything, that's all the more reason to let it out. Let people see how painful it is to be either. Maybe they'll think twice before asking. Anyway, as you know, being vampires or wolves is not the problem here. Sherlock needs to be allowed to handle his other condition on his own, now. He's been dealing with it for nearly three thousand years. I'm sure he knows what to do by now." He opened the door to Mrs. Hudson's apartment. "Where's Sherlock?"
"He & Mary went to clean up the other flat once his wing grew back," Mrs. Hudson replied. "But those stairs are completely ruined. I'm not sure what to do with all that blood."
John pointed at Sherrinford. "His fault. I'll look into getting new carpet to fix that."
"If you're going to insist on having a vampire for a tenant," Sherrinford started. "You might want to think about hardwood flooring instead of carpet. Vampires bleed, a lot. When we cut open our wings. When we push out our fangs. When we fight. Sometimes when we, er uh, feed. Very painful, nasty business, being a vampire. Not to mention all the junk Sherlock drags in from morgues & what have you for his experiments." He sent a fanged grinned in John's direction. "Plus dogs shed like hell."
"OOO!" John growled, making Sherrinford & Mrs. Hudson laugh.
"You can sweep his furballs under the rugs," Sherrinford went on. John heaved a long sigh.
"He's cute when he's mad," Mrs. Hudson teased. John shifted his weight to the other side, shaking his head.
"I'm going to go talk to Sherlock," Sherrinford said.
"Send Mary down, then," John finally muttered. "We have a wee bit of shopping to do before we get back to the twins." He turned to Mrs. Hudson. "I do not shed!"
Sherrinford opened the door to the old flat & entered. Mary took one look at him before darting down the stairs without having to be told. Sherrinford let her go & looked around for Sherlock.
"Mary, be a dear & throw that washcloth down, please," Sherlock's voice sounded from under the table. Sherrinford took over & knelt down. Sherlock was about to wipe the floor with it but he caught sight of his brother. He tried to jump up, banging his head on the underside of the table. He pulled out, rubbing his banged head & hissing first at the table, then at Sherrinford. "What do you want?"
"I've talked to Mrs. Hudson about ripping up all the carpet in here," Sherrinford began. "If you're going to stay here, you can't be bleeding all over her nice carpets all the time." Sherlock sat cross-legged on the floor, chin on his fingertips as if he had gone into the Mind Palace. Sherrinford went to the fridge & pulled out a bottle of blood. He poured out two glasses then came to stand beside Sherlock. He held one out. Sherlock barely moved as he reached out to accept the offering. "Now, I don't think John can stay here with you. He's got a wife & pups to take care of," Sherrinford went on after both had a sip. "But I'm sure he will be here for most of the day." He took another gulp before going on. "Of course, it won't be exactly the same."
"Where is John, now?"
"He's gone out with Mary," Sherrinford said. "I'm sure he will come by, later." He started tapping out something on his mobile. "So why don't we get this place fixed up? Bring in some proper flooring for the flat & the main stairs. I'm already looking for a new window."
Sherlock finished his own drink in one shot & put the glass aside. He jumped onto the tabletop & over to the other side to go into one of the two bedrooms. He soon returned dressed the way most people saw Sherlock as Detective, a rather flattering black velvet vest over a simple white satin shirt. He sent his brother a wide sheepish grin, but no fangs were shown. His hair was back to its wayward curls as well. He had gone back to the simple human life in an instant. But more than that, he was happy.
It took most of the day to fix up the place properly for a vampire. They had finished the bottle while working on changing the place. It was dark by the time they were done. Sherlock stood by the open window, a new pane in the frame. The wail of cop sirens suddenly filled the air. Sherlock glanced at his brother.
"Go on," Sherrinford gave in. "Get out of here."
"Give my regards to Enola," Sherlock said, already halfway out the lobby door down below. He laid his vest & shirt over one arm.
A few moments later, Lestrade glanced around as he heard something sliding on the gravel. Sherlock had dropped in & landed in the drive way. His wings pointed forward as he skidded towards the nearest cruiser. With a snap, the wings disappeared. Next moment, Sherlock was fully dressed as he strode up to Lestrade.
"The game is on, again!"