John awoke thirty minutes after Sherlock got off the phone with Mycroft. Sherlock debated whether he should have John come along with him to question Victor. Victor had attacked John, and it may be a bit not good to have John see the man again. They hadn't discussed the case, and John hadn't asked for any updates. Maybe John assumed Sherlock would be tight lip about it like before. Now that John knew everything, Sherlock didn't see a reason to keep him in the dark anymore. He didn't intend to do it the first time but with his cravings and focus being pulled because of that he needed to have John not involved. It was for his own protection.

Sherlock watched John as he moved about the kitchen, remaking his toast and tea that went cold earlier that morning. A small smirk played across his lips at the memory of why John's breakfast went cold. Clearing his mind of the thought, not wanting to distract himself from the matter at hand, he observed John objectively. John was in a pleasant mood. His blood was singing happily, and he had a soft smile on his face. He was in the appropriate mood to receive some bad news. Though Sherlock knew it would ruin his mood and that gave him pause.

The strong instinct to protect John was overwhelming. Sherlock always had a level of concern for his blogger's well-being in the same way as you would a friend. Especially, knowing how difficult it was to live with Sherlock. He did try not to upset John too much. More so than he's done for anyone else in his life. But as of late it was all he thought about. He was concerned that this would affect his work. Working on Victor's case was a challenge because of it. Although not all of that was John's fault. There were other factors. Sherlock becoming a vampire, Victor's direct threats towards John and the lack of feeding on Sherlock's part. It certainly didn't help that he was craving John the whole time, especially after their first kiss. The kiss that John was hypnotized into doing all because Sherlock knew Victor would send a message. Using John as bait. That was on brand for the consulting detective, but would he do that now? Now that they were a couple, were mates? It was hard to determine.

There wasn't enough data.

Sherlock was also aware that future cases wouldn't be like this one. They would be mainly dealing with ordinary humans who were trying to be clever. Humans that are dangerous in a sense but nothing they haven't encountered before. John was capable of taking care of himself. He's proven that time and time again. Protecting Sherlock on several occasions as well as himself. John wasn't just any human, he was a former solider after all.

Even so, would Sherlock let John be…John? Would his protective instincts take over if they were in danger? Sherlock liked to think he was in control of his transport, but lately he's given into his instincts. Like earlier, when John commented on finding other people attractive. Sherlock didn't stop his transport from pinning John against the wall and shagging him. He gave into his possessiveness without hesitation. That was a problem.

It was Sherlock's problem.

Sherlock couldn't punish John because he was, for lack of a better word, scared, for his safety. That their new dynamic would change too much in their lives. Stopping John from joining on cases would not go well. John would be furious and resent that Sherlock made the decision for him. John knew the risks. It was the main reason he joined Sherlock on their first case. John did not shy away from danger. He knew this about John. Loved this about John. So, why did he feel the need to protect John from something he only assumed would bother the doctor? It was likely that bringing up Victor would upset John, but if Sherlock didn't mention it and went without John, that would upset him as well.

"Sherlock, Sherlock!" John called shaking Sherlock to break him out of his Mind Palace. Sherlock blinked and looked at John. He was standing next to Sherlock, hand on his shoulder slightly annoyed by Sherlock's lack of response. "There's a black car outside, Mycroft must have sent it."

"Yes, Victor isn't talking. Mycroft felt it was time to bring me in. Would you like to come?" Sherlock asked. Normally he would tell John to come but felt it would be best to ask in this situation.

John's blood quivered at the mention of Victor's name. That was expected, what he didn't expect was John's thoughts. He's never asked me if I wanted to come before. Does he not want me to come?

"Should I not come?" John asked carefully. Sherlock noted John's hand flexed on Sherlock's shoulder slight. His blood started to gasp.

"…I didn't want you to feel…uncomfortable." Sherlock admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"I was attempting to be considerate." Sherlock sighed. John just raised his eyebrow still not understanding. "Victor almost killed you, John." He reminded.

"Yes, he did." John agreed, "Never let something like that stop me before, not going to now."

Sherlock smiled, "Good. Come along John." Sherlock stood giving John a kiss before heading for the door.

The ride to the facility where Victor was being held was the same place Sherlock spend a week "training" after becoming a vampire. It was just outside of London. No other buildings were in the area. The facility itself was unassuming. Nothing to indicate it harbored dangerous creatures. There was a secure gate, but no sign of guards or cameras. They were there but hidden out of plain view.

As the vehicle approached the front, they could see Lestrade waiting for them. He was finishing a cigarette as the vehicle came to a stop. He flicked the cigarette to the ground, snuffing it out with the toe of his shoe. Sherlock exited first followed by John. Lestrade looked surprised to see John. Not this again. John thought annoyed. He really didn't want a repeat of Mycroft's office.

"Sherlock, thanks for coming." Lestrade greeted and turned to John, "Glad to see you're here. I figured you'd want nothing to do with this case after what happened." He admitted.

"Never stopped me before." John dismissed. Being questioned for his involvement with this case has been tiresome. They've worked difficult cases before. John had a Semtex vest strapped on him for crying out loud. That didn't stop him from working on the Moriarty case. Victor was just another criminal in John's mind.

"Right, of course." Lestrade shifted and cleared his throat to help remove some of the tension. "I'll take you in. Victor only wants to speak to Sherlock so John we'll come with me, and we'll watch from another room." Lestrade informed.

They both nodded and followed Lestrade to the door. John felt eyes on him, he took a brief look around but didn't see anyone. He assumed it was from guards that he couldn't see. Sherlock and Lestrade didn't show any signs that they were experiencing the same thing. He assumed that he may be more sensitive and alert seeing that they were going to be in the presence of the man that almost killed him. John had a habit of keeping his guard up when he was entering into the unknown.

Lestrade entered a code to unlock the door. They followed Lestrade through the maze of the facility. It would be difficult to find Victor unless you knew where to go. That was by design. In the slim chance that the facility was raided. The hallways were brightly lit with white walls and floors. Every door had a keypad on the outside for controlled access. Sherlock wasn't in this part of the building when he was training. He was in a low security section as he was not a threat compared to the other occupants.

They entered the observation room where Mycroft was waiting. His eyes laid on John for a moment before looking at Sherlock with an almost glare. John was not expected. John's blood was grumbling in irritation, but he didn't say anything as he walked further into the room. There was a monitor showing Victor chained to a chair in a dimly lit room. He was looking directly at the camera as if he knew he was being watched in this moment. He had a smug look on his face. For someone who's in a cell he seemed pleased with himself. As if he's already won.

The room itself was similar to the observation room at the Yard. The main difference was the monitor to view the subject instead of having one way glass. A six-foot table with various files scattered on it was in the middle of the room. There were four chairs in the room pushed under the table. The monitor was mounted to the wall, underneath a control panel that John assumed connected to the interrogation room. Below the monitor was a small desk with a laptop and a landline phone. It surprised John how simple this room was compared to the rest of the facility. Must be a room that wasn't used often.

"Sherlock," Mycroft said as he picked up one of the files off the table. "Since we arrested Victor there have been several more murders that match his M.O." Mycroft explained and handed the file to Sherlock. John took a step towards Sherlock to look at the file as well.

"You're just now telling me this?" Sherlock glared at his brother before looking at the file in his hand. The file showed five victims, three men and two women. Their necks were shredded similar to the victims that Victor attacked that resembled John.

"Once Victor was in my custody, I never intended to bring you back on this case. There was no reason for your involvement." Mycroft admitted, "I strongly believe you still shouldn't be here, but Victor is uncooperative. He will only speak with you, and I have little choice. With these murders it's clear that Victor is not alone. There is evidence of a potential convent of vampires in London. Sired by Victor. We need to find them and stop their killing spree. My people are looking into this but having little success, we need answers from Victor."

"Wouldn't the people Victor sired just be…regular? I doubt he would have been able to find people that would willing kill like this." John asked.

"That's true, but there is an unbreakable bond between sire and vampire." Lestrade explained.

"Bond?" Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"A vampire cannot disobey their sire." Mycroft said. "Sires have the ability to command those they've turned."

"That means…" Sherlock trailed off and stared at Mycroft. His brother failed to mention this important detail about becoming a vampire.

"Yes, I am your sire Sherlock, but I have never used our bond to command you." Mycroft assured him.

"How do I know that?" Sherlock snapped, "Did I agree to take this case, or did you command me to take it?"

Mycroft rolled his eyes, "Sit down." His voice was deep and authoritative. Sherlock immediately sat on the floor without hesitation. "That is what a command from your sire is like. You have no choice, no thought, you do as you're told."

John held back a laugh as Sherlock grumbled, getting to his feet again. Sherlock shot John a glare before looking at Mycroft again. "Don't do that again."

"Of course," Mycroft agreed, his voice bored, "As demonstrated vampires will do as they're told. Even kill."

"Who's your sire?" John asked.

"Athena,"

"Your secretary?"

"Yes, I was sick a few years ago, cancer, terminal. Athena offered to turn me."

"Athena being a vampire explains a lot." John mused. He was still surprised but the woman was very mysterious. "Why isn't she here?"

"I have her working on locating Victor's convent, her knowledge is beneficial for the task. It is unfortunate that it's not enough." Mycroft explained. "Now, Sherlock, I'll take you to the interrogation room if you're ready." he informed and headed to the door. Sherlock nodded and followed Mycroft. Victor was in a room on the other side of the facility. Mycroft wanted to make sure it was difficult to get to Victor. He stopped outside the door and paused before entering the access code. "This doesn't need to be said but do be cautious. It is likely Victor only asked for you to toy with you."

Sherlock simply nodded. Mycroft was right it didn't need to be said. Sherlock was all too familiar with how Victor took great pleasure in having power over someone. Always wanting to be the one in control of the situation. Victor had a superiority complex and was a sadist. An awful combination that Sherlock endured for too long. A slight chill ran down his spine at the memories of their time together. Most were deleted but the worst moments of their relationship were permanently locked in his Mind Palace.

Despite great effort on Sherlock's part, he was still affected by Victor. It wasn't as intense as it was back in uni. If he was not careful Victor could exploit Sherlock's emotions to his advantage. Sherlock was not going to let Victor get under his skin. He knew Victor's tricks well; this time he would be the one at a disadvantage.

Sherlock gave Mycroft another nod to let him know he was ready. Mycroft entered the code, unlocking the door. Sherlock entered the room, the door closed behind him and locked once again. The room was dimly lit, it took a few seconds for Sherlock's eyes to adjust. No doubt it was another level of security. Leaving this room into the bright hall would be disorienting for a vampire at least for a few minutes. The room was similar to the cell Sherlock was in before. A single bed in the left corner, furthest from the door. A toilet and sink on the opposite wall. In the middle of the room was Victor. Chained to a chair. Mycroft took no chances with Victor, he bound his arms and legs to the chair. There was no slack for Victor to be able to move.

He heard Victor take a deep breath in through his nose. He was taking in Sherlock's scent. Sherlock took in Victor's appearance. He still had a smug look on his face, a devilish smile now that he finally got what he wanted, Sherlock. His face was slightly gaunt, his skin almost transparent. It was clear that Mycroft was keeping his feeding at the bare minimum.

"Sherl," Victor greeted, his voice rough from lack of use. He really hadn't spoken much since arriving. "You scent is different. It's mixed with John's, so he is your mate after all. How delightful."

"I'm here, so talk." Sherlock demanded ignoring Victor's attempts to manipulate his emotions.

"Straight to business I see." Victor grinned mischievously. "I was hoping we would be able to have a nice chat. I'm sure you can imagine how bored I've been listening to your brother drone on and on."

"I'm not here to play your silly games Victor."

"Yes, of course. You're in charge, not me." Victor's grin did not falter. "You're too smart for me." He chuckled, with no mirth. "I do hope your little mate can keep up with you. No doubt its painful to be with someone so…ordinary. I'm sure the fresh blood helps with that. It really shuts the brain down, doesn't it? I told you it would. Just like the drugs did back in uni."

Sherlock focused on keeping his face neutral. He didn't like that Victor was talking about John, but he wasn't going to let Victor latch onto that. He was trying to get the upper hand. Make Sherlock lose his temper, lose focus on what was important.

Sherlock sighed, "Waste my time and I'll leave." Sherlock threatened, "You have allies, where are they?"

"Allies…that's a strong word for them. They're more like puppets." Victor corrected, "Doing my bidding, the way it should be."

"Continuing your killing spree? Lacks purpose, so ordinary of you." Sherlock quipped.

"If that was my purpose. The killings are just an unfortunate symptom to the larger plan. Not everyone is strong enough to survive the change." Victor said casually.

Sherlock couldn't help his eyes grow wide when it finally clicked. Victor is trying to make more vampires. Of course, Victor craved control, what better way to gain it by siring and using the bond to command them.

"You're lucky I didn't turn your precious John when I had the chance. I did have so many opportunities." He grinned wildly, "Did you ever tell him about my first message? I'm sure you haven't. I made sure to add a trigger to his memory in the event you ever told him. After what I did to him, he wouldn't want another vampire near him."

Sherlock's stomach dropped, what did Victor do? The message itself wasn't long enough to account for how long John was out that night. At the time he didn't want to think about what else Victor did to the doctor after relaying the message. It was merely a distraction from the case. Another way for Victor to toy with Sherlock as he's always done. It was just easier to not think about the missing time. It was also easier not to tell John about it. He didn't remember anyway, so why make things more complicated? He had plenty of opportunities to tell John but chose not to. If Sherlock was honest, he feared telling John. Not only because there was a chance that the forgotten memories would resurface, but what that would do to John. To them.

Sherlock could no longer hide his distain for the man. He gave him a murderous look, it did nothing but make Victor laugh. Pissing off Sherlock even more. He wanted nothing more than to rip Victor's head off but stayed where he was. He wasn't going to give in. That's exactly what Victor wanted. Mycroft was right, he only wanted Sherlock here to toy with him.

"You're nothing but a waste of my time." Sherlock said through clenched teeth. He made his way to the door.

"Showing such restrain Sherl, I'm impressed." Victor taunted, "I was sure you would try to attack me at the mere mention of John, but I guess you don't care about him in that way. You were never much for sentiment or emotions, that clearly hasn't changed. John's just another drug to you, isn't he? Doesn't matter what happened to him, you have him now. Unless," Victor paused for dramatic effect, arrogant as ever. Sherlock tried to ignore him, he really did. "Unless John's here now and can hear our conversation." He watched as Sherlock tensed and he laughed again. "Oh, that's wonderful. You brought your pet! Now he knows you kept something from him. Memories are flooding his mind right now of our time together. I must say, I understand the appeal of your human. He's a good fuck, so willing to please."

Sherlock's transport went rigid, his temper rose to a blinding rage. His hand was on Victor's throat before he knew it. Squeezing hard. Vampires didn't need to breathe, but Sherlock wasn't trying to cut his air flow. He was trying to shut him up. He would break Victor's trachea if he had to. Victor was unfazed, he looked annoyingly pleased with himself.

"What did you do?" Sherlock asked darkly. It wasn't what he meant to ask. He wanted to stay focused, but that was long gone. Victor got under his skin. Turned the conversation into his favor.

"Exactly…what I…wanted." Victor's voice whizzed as he spoke.

"I should kill you." Sherlock snarled his grip tightening more.

"If…you can."

Victor's words snapped Sherlock out of his murderous intent. He was playing into his hand all too willingly. Sherlock adjusted his hold on Victor, still tight just to get his point across. Sherlock was in control, not Victor. Sherlock needed to remind himself of that. Giving into Victor like he used to won't give him the answers he needs.

"Where are they?" Sherlock's voice was calm once again, making Victor's smile fade slightly. It was gratifying to see that for a change.

"Oh, that doesn't really matter." Victor dismissed, "They'll be here soon, thanks to you. I'll be free and once I am, I'm coming for your John and Mycroft's pet too. Oh yes, I'll have them begging for death!" Victor declared, with such convention, that Sherlock found himself believing it.

Was that the reason Victor asked for Sherlock? To lead Victor's minions right to him? That wasn't possible. There were no signs of them being followed. Mycroft's men were better than that. Sherlock's senses would have noticed vampires following them surely. Or did Sherlock just ignore his senses? He's felt eyes on him since arriving but dismissed the feeling as the unseen guards. Was the feeling from the guards or Victor's offspring? Sherlock released his hold on Victor's throat and looked at the camera in the room. The door unlocked shortly after, and Sherlock made his way out.

"Pleasure speaking with you Sherl. Give John my regards!" Victor called as the door shut.