The Black Book - AU - Locked to seaweed_writes

[ihadabadday]

He was lucky with his expertise he was able to find a job relatively quickly in a field he was familiar with. John looked down at his mobile as the alert came through. Christ. It was going to take him at least twenty minutes, if he was lucky, to get to the scene. But, he packed his things into the case and headed out.

He had been in Afghanistan for five years. First as a medic, then a doctor, and finally a hunter. He still was a doctor, but he had been assigned to an elite unit in the desert. Part of him felt a bit odd about all of it. But he didn't quite mind.

He made sure he had everything before he left.

He heard the annoyed voices, before he saw anyone as he entered the room.

"Oi. Who're you?" A man with two days of stubble and mussed black hair asked.

John paused and looked him over before his eyes landed on the gentleman in the suit with salt and pepper hair. There he was. "DI Lestrade? I'm Doctor John Watson, the new Occult Specialist, I just started last month." He gave him a smile, wanting to be nice, but not too friendly. People got jumpy around the occult. He saw it all the time in Afghanistan, and even here in London.

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[ihadabadday]

He paused and looked at Sherlock. "Afghanistan..." he said, "how?"

Not many knew about his line of work in the military. They just saw the doctor bit and the invalid home bit. Really it was easy to let people make their own conclusions.

[seaweed_writes]

"You were a soldier." Sherlock said,matter of factly, like it was the easiest deduction that he ever had to make.

:"Until very recently." He continued, moving one step closer, his eyes boring into John's deep azure blue eyes. "You still hold yourself like you're carrying a rifle. You have a wound in your shoulder. Even though it has mostly healed, it still has a particular smell to it. " He leaned in and sniffed slightly, then moved back.

"Afghanistan and Iraq are currently the only place now experiencing demon attacks. You are, or were, active British Military, and your tan line prove my point, they are the only places with enough sun to give you those tan lines."

He paused, leaning in a bit. "Bu you're not just an occult expert, are you?" He asked. "You're a demon hunter."

Not blinking nor taking his eyes away from John, he says "I'm looking for a new flatmate. And you need a place to stay. Your unit housing is too far away, and you have to commute into London every day, which makes you quite useless."

[ihadabadday]

John shook his head and put his hands up. "Hold on. Vampires have rules don't they? I understand, you're not like other vampires. But surely even you have some rules. Especially concerning your territory."

"Vampires only share their territory with their blood servants or mates. Neither of which I am particularly interested in."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock sighed. He was tired of this. He had solved the bloody case- it wasn't evne a real case, just a boring murder between two humans. He needed to get John away from here and figure out what this man- well not a man but whatever he was- was about.

So he used his Sight.. humans called it Thrall, because they would be enthralled enough to do whatever they were told.

His eyes grew red, glowing menacingly, and he stared, unblinkingly at John.

"John Watson." Sherlock's voice was ethereal, not human, deep and dark and rich and evil.

"You will come home with me, right now."

[ihadabadday]

John was stunned for a moment before bringing his hands up and shaking his head. "I mean thanks, but no thanks?"

He looked to Greg who was lowering his hand from his face, almost in awe of what was happening.

A human refusing the Thrall...

[seaweed_writes]

That tore it. The man was not human. No human EVER resisted the Thrall.

Anger bubbled up inside of him. He NEEDED to know who this man, was- this soldier.. this... JOHN.

Without another word, he turned with a great swoosh of his Belstaff and left. It was obvious that he was going to have to get his information another way, so he decided to go home, lick his wounds, and figure out another plan to get to the bottom of whatever this John Watson was.

[ihadabadday]

John stared at the vampire flouncing off and then shook his head. Well then. He moved to start to gather his things. His work here was done. He needed to head back to his flat.

He watched the DI and his people, shaking his head. It was always interesting seeing everyone be confused over things. Especially the occult.

[seaweed_writes]

It wasn't until three days later when Sherlock came into contact with John Watson again. Lestrade had, annoyingly called Sherlock back into his office at New Scotland Yard. It had ended up being a fruitless meeting that left Sherlock more frustrated than before he had arrived.

Immediately, Sherlock spotted John at the front desk. Apparently he was picking up some files. It was obvious that it was the blood work that he had requested at the scene.

He stomped over there and stopped right when his hooded Belstaff was pressing against John's coat. He stood over John, and ominous, looming presence.

[ihadabadday]

John paused when he saw the expression on the receptionist's face. But he didn't look up. "Ah hey there. Sherlock was it?"

He was replaying the conversation he had with Lestrade when the man drove him home the other day. He was positive that the man didn't believe him on how he escaped Sherlock's Thrall.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock glared. He knew damn well who he was. He saw the recognition in his eyes when he realized who was there, without even looking at him.

Why did Sherlock want the man to look at him?

The receptionist handed him a file, but Sherlock ignored her and spoke with John, even though he wasn't looking at him.

"You know that there is more to this case than just a simple summoning that went wrong, do you not?" He asked.

[ihadabadday]

He took the file from the receptionist and glanced at Sherlock. John then tucked the file into his bag. "Oh, your theory sounded plausible."

He stepped back from the desk and went to head for the exit. He was wearing military boots, denim trousers, a black canvas jacket, and a simply t-shirt. He was wearing the same pendant he had been at their first meeting.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock paused for a moment as John started to walk away. He shook his head to clear it. He couldn't help but be utterly fascinated by the man. He was, as humans- or whatever he was- went, quite handsome. And John had blushed more than once when Sherlock had spoke to him. There was an attraction, he could tell.

One more shake of the head and he followed John, his longer legs making quick work of the distance between them. As they reached the outside, he put his hood up and put on his gloves. Even through that the heat made his skin prickle and flush.

"It wasn't a THEORY, John." He said as they left New Scotland Yard. "That is what really happened. That idiot Lestrade is looking for the other person, he's handling it like it was just another case of illegal magic. Moron." He muttered the last word under his breath.

[ihadabadday]

"Well that's his call." John said as they walked. He had no issue keeping up with Sherlock's long strides. It was odd how easy they were falling into things. And it worried and intrigued him.

"I don't want to see more people get hurt, but if he goes in the wrong direction and someone else gets flash fried... Then it's on him."

He paused in a shady area and tilted his head to look up at Sherlock.

[seaweed_writes]

I didn't escape Sherlock's notice that the man was easily keeping up with him.

Right now, though, he was concentrating more on what he was saying and trying not to think about how his strides were inhumanly long, his stamina high (don't think about that!!) and how the man was hardly taking his eyes off of him.

"But he's WRONG!" Sherlock exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. The man was so frustrating and alluring and..

NO.

He coudln't think about that.

[ihadabadday]

John glanced up at him and then paused in their steps. He waited for the vampire to realize he had stopped. "So, what do you want to do about it?" He asked.

What he had. It been expecting was the offer for dinner. He arched an eyebrow and looked at him.

"A real restaurant or a vampire blood dungeon sort of thing?" He asked dryly.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock was trying his best not to yell at the man, but he did tend to be thick at times.

"I want to talk about the case, at a restaurant." He said, rolling his eyes. "A REAL restaurant. Italian."

Sherlock knew just the place, one of his favorite places to eat.

He tried to hide his relief when John said. "Yeah, alright."

And with a few quick strides, they were off to dinner.

[ihadabadday]

John found himself enjoying the company. He was smiling more than he usually did. There was something about this vampire...

He barely even protested when he was pulled away from the delicious dinner to run to the morgue.

And he couldn't help it. He praised Sherlock, calling him brilliant. He was. It was amazing how he could look at something and just know.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock knew that he couldn't do this. He couldn't let his man under his skin. But with every 'brilliant' and 'amazing' and 'spectacular' he could feel his reesolve crumbling.

Sure, vampires were known for their egos, and Sherlock was worse than most, but this was more

This was..


This was something that he couldn't abide. He had to end this, now.


And yet, when they parted ways, and John went back to his bedsit and Sherlock went back to Baker Street, he couldn't help but stare out the window at London below and wonder about this man who had cracked his shell and slithered his way inside.

[ihadabadday]

John lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He folded his arms behind his head and let out a sigh.

It was supposed to just be dinner. But then the morgue and the Yard... He was constantly thinking about the Vampire. How had that happened?

He didn't want... Maybe he did. But he didn't want to hurt the vampire. He was drawn out of his thoughts by the ringing mobile.

He grabbed it and answered it. "Sherlock?"

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock had managed to dial John's number and keep his phone hidden in his pocket, so the man could hear everything that was going on. He knew, even after one day, that John would be smart enough to figure out what was happening.

"Sherlock Holmes, you're gonna come with me." The accent was a deep Cockney one.

"Don't try anything." the other person said.

"Ah, so that's how you did it." Sherlock replied.

"Yeah." The cockney accent replied. "As long as I have this, you have to do what I say. They ALL have to do what I say."

[ihadabadday]

John swore and was out of bed. He grabbed his jacket and his pistol before running out the door.

He stopped when he got to the street and let out a breath. He had to think. He had to think about this.

He fingered the talisman he wore. John closed his eyes and let out a breath. He focused his energy, allowing the homing tracker to flow out.

[seaweed_writes]

The phone call continued.

"A blackblood stone." Sherlock said. "Highly illegal magic that requires some very highly illegal blood sacrifices. Judging from the mediocre work you've done on these circles, you've had some help. do you have friends in high places? And of course, you must know that by using it..."

Sherlock was cut off. "SHUT UP!" Sherlock just made a noise.

"The strain on my body will et me alive from the inside out, and I'll be dead in a fortnight." The cockney voice said. "But I was already dead before this. I've got nothing to lose."

"When I command you, you're going to cut your wrist and give your Elite blood to the circle. You will of course, be incinerated immediately. But you are a small sacrifice for the glorious return of my Master." There was a slight pause.

"I wish I could have played with you properly, but you would've smelt the sulfur. Not much fun in that." Another pause.

"Now.." the cockney accent said.. and then,,, a gunshot.

[ihadabadday]

He was almost too late. He had first been drawn in the direction of some kids. Might want to tell the Yard about it.

Of course the stupid homing charm couldn't tell him what building. So he went into the one on the right.

He ran into a room and saw..."fuck." He swore.

He pulled his gun and took aim. Without a second thought he fired at the man holding the Blackblood Stone.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock's acute hearing heard the sound before he saw anything. He hopped out of the way just in time to see a shot right through the man's wrist.

He stumbled back.. right to the circle that he drew himself. He only had time to whisper the word "master" before a flash of light surrounded him and he disintegrated into a pile of ash.

Sherlock looked to the source of the shot. a clean bullet hole through the window, and across the way, there was an open window.

And beyond that- John Watson.

Sherlock quickly made his way to the alley between the buildings, where he was not surprised to meet John once again.

"I see you got my message." He said, calmly, though his heart would have been racing, if he still had a beating one.

[ihadabadday]

John watched the cabbie fall into the circle, and he was thusly incinerated. He lowered his gun and nodded to Sherlock through the window. He then turned and fled the building, exiting at the same time as Sherlock.

He laughed at that, smiling. "A bit cryptic, but manageable."

He was flushed slightly, scuffing his foot against the alley.