Santana stumbled backwards as the short woman took a step towards her. She immediately turns to run back to her room when she feels a tight grip around her wrist stopping her from making her escape. "Let go!" She snaps at the woman trying to tug her arm away from her. "I said let me—" Santana turned her gaze back onto the woman but her mouth went dry. Her fangs were out and she was pulling her closer—she was not going to be some blood whore for this crazed vampire.
"And a blood virgin, how delightful."
Panic rose in her chest and she wanted to scream as the short woman yanked her closer causing her to lose her balance and pitch forward into her arms. "This is a mistake—"
"Stay still." The woman commanded her eyes glowing with that same eerie translucence that haunted her dreams.
She had no idea why she obeyed that command, but she immediately closes her eyes. They had promised that she'd be safe if she wore their stupid collar, and she had only taken it off to shower and get clean she always put it back on before she left her room. The stupid collar was probably being hidden by the comfortable winter coat that Charlie had purchased for her. She feels fingers tug on the collar of her coat unzipping it and grabbing at the scarf.
The thought doesn't escape her that she's going to die because she'd been curious about the music. But she had thought it was Quinn or Charlie who had been playing on the piano, they were filled with surprises and what was one more thing that they'd be good at. They had been alive for a few centuries, picking up the piano was something that they probably would have done. Well Quinn would have done, Charlie seemed far more interested in eating cake and chocolate and watching brightly colored cartoons.
Hot breath tickles at her throat and she can feel the sharp prick of the strange vampire's fangs against her skin before a tongue flicks across the surface. This was clearly how blood whores were made and she was going to become one that was if she even survived. She had never thought that this would be her life.
It's the sensation of falling that causes her to gasp, had she been bitten? But just as soon as the sensation starts it stops with a pair of strong arms holding her \\ up, and the scent of apple pie and bacon infiltrates her sense of smell. It causes her to open one eye, hoping that it isn't some trick but it isn't. Charlie was there holding her closely against her body, on her face was a look of rage that looked wholly out of place.
"You are not the Fabray that I want pinning me against walls."
Santana turned to look at the woman who had attacked her. She almost wished she hadn't, when she realized that the black aura that seemed to devour the light around it and shifted and moved, was in the shape of a hand, a hand that appeared monstrous with it's sharp angles and dark claws. It doesn't take Santana more than a moment to follow the limb back to the owner, even though in her heart she already knew who it belonged too. Panic sets in for a moment when she finally tracks it back to Charlie's sleeve that was now in tatters.
Shadows, it was the only explanation that didn't make her head hurt. She had seen Charlie melt into the shadows before, it had been just as creepy then as it was now and she still didn't understand how it worked. She doubted that Charlie or Quinn understood it either. She would just have to settle on the fact that they were special.
Taking a shaky breath, she tries to straighten herself up as the adrenaline fades from her body quicker than she thought it would. Immediately her knees go weak, but Charlie's grip around her waist only tightens in response.
"I'm okay," Santana says finally, turning to look at Charlie who doesn't meet her eyes. She can't say that she's upset that Charlie hasn't quite let go. It was probably one of the safest places to be at this moment.
"Seriously, I can't even have five minutes to myself in my garden without some disaster happening—" Quinn snapped from behind Charlie, irritation evident in her tone, as she pushes herself into the room. Her eyes narrow as she takes in the scene in front of her. "What the bloody hell happened in here?"
Santana can't bring herself to answer but Quinn seems to take that as its own confirmation. She feels Charlie finally turn to her sister and moves her head in Charlie's odd silent language.
Quinn inhales slowly, "I need you to put her down Charlie."
Charlie stomps her foot in response but suddenly the woman isn't surrounded by the thick black aura any longer.
Santana watches as the woman drops to the ground and immediately dusts herself off, "I knew you missed me, I was just getting to my present when Charlotte interrupted me. But since you're here we can partake in such a lovely gift together."
Quinn opens her mouth and then turns to look at Santana for a long moment before turning back to the crazed vampire. "Rachel, there is no gift. As in I didn't get you a gift, because I had no idea that you were coming here for a visit." Charlie begins to make gestures at Quinn who can only roll her eyes when she sees a rude one every other gesture. "Charlie has a point, what the hell are you doing here? The Court doesn't convene for another week and I certainly didn't invite you here."
Rachel smiled and moved towards Quinn with a sense of purpose. "I came to spend time with my wife."
Charlie made another rude gesture and Quinn made a face. "Rachel, you just tried to kill my sister's pet. You are incredibly lucky that Charlie didn't kill you for the slight."
Rachel stopped and turned to look at Charlie who was glaring at her, "Really? A human as a pet?" She tilts her head before a look of distaste crosses her features. "So, this is the terrorist that you saved while killing one of my children." Rachel turns to look at Quinn. "I am well within my rights to demand reparations."
"I'm not a—" Charlie's hand suddenly covers her mouth. Blaine had suggested that there was a cost for keeping her alive and she was quickly finding out that he may be right.
"No, you're not." Quinn said bluntly crossing her arms over her chest and staring at Rachel. "There will be no reparations Rachel. You sent Hunter and his ilk to me because you made the silly decision of turning them. You then realized that you didn't quite have the power to manage them like you thought you could. Hunter was a threat to your position in the court and you couldn't have that so you sent him here. You might have said it was in the spirit of cooperation, or perhaps it was a wedding gift. I can't remember and honestly, I don't care what your reasons were. Hunter broke our laws. I wanted to ship him back to you but my dear sister decided to solve all our problems by taking his head. Personally, I think that's a win for all parties involved."
Rachel frowned before smiling brightly at Quinn. "I was just going to ask that we spend some time together Quinn, we are married and it has been years. Clearly you extend your hospitality to pets—but I am your wife Quinn and it's been years."
There was a moment of hesitation on Quinn's face before she turned to look at her sister. A silent exchange immediately went on between them and even though she was terrible at reading Charlie's insane gestures but even she could tell that Charlie was not pleased with this turn of events.
"Charlie—" Quinn began extending her arm out to touch her twin only to have Charlie shrug it off.
Almost immediately Charlie turned and with her arm still wrapped firmly around Santana's waist she walked out of the room.
Santana stumbled as she tried to keep up with Charlie's blistering pace, but it wasn't long till they were in front of her room and Charlie had finally let her go. She bites her lip before glancing up at Charlie to see the irritated look on her features. "So—" Santana begins, Charlie had saved her and even though it wasn't evident on her face she was probably super angry and hurt over this whole situation. "We don't like her right?" Charlie makes a face at that statement. "Oh, so we hate her, got it." This finally causes Charlie to smile and Santana relaxes. "Thanks—for saving my life again."
Charlie nods absentmindedly before entering Santana's personal space and reaching for her neck. She pauses when Santana flinches, but after a moment she taps the charm on Santana's collar.
"Right—it's important. I'll do my best to make sure it's visible at all times." Santana reflexively smacks Charlie's hand away when she pets her. She groans but allows Charlie the moment before retreating into her room.
~O~
Santana wraps the warm fluffy towel around her, shivering a little from stepping out of her hot shower. It still strikes her, even after all of these months, the little things that she had never even imagined that were suddenly at her fingertips. She walks out of the bathroom slowly, glad that the vampires are caught up with whatever had managed to grab their attention so that she has some time to herself.
Of course, from what she understood it meant that soon this entire building would be flooded with vampires for at least a week or two. It was terrifying but Blaine brought her food and took away her dishes when she was finished, he also did her laundry so staying in her room and being a hermit was looking rather appealing.
She's safe here and that more than anything is keeping her from venturing out into potentially dangerous territory.
Slipping into her bedroom, she lets the towel fall to the ground and turns to find something to wear when the door slams open and Quinn storms in.
Quinn doesn't have the decency to pretend to look away or even embarrassed, instead she rakes her eyes up and down Santana's naked body. "Not bad—"
Santana jumps and immediately grabs the towel to cover herself, she's never been ashamed or embarrassed of her body, but that didn't mean she wanted Quinn leering at her. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking? And why are you even here? Shouldn't you be busy with your new wife."
"New wife? We've been married for nearly half a century, she hardly counts as new anymore," Quinn scoffs as she finally tears her eyes away from the small drop of water that had run in between Santana's breasts. "I'm not here to talk about Rachel, I'd personally prefer not to think about it let alone do anything; however, I have a duty—"
"If that's what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night," Santana muttered under her breath.
"I see you've taken up Charlie's bad habit of being exceptionally childish about this situation," Quinn responds with a shake of her head. There was a hint of guilt in her voice but she shakes it off. "As I was saying before, I am here to discuss my sister with you. The last time I checked you were still our pet, which means that part of your duties is to keep her happy. I've given up any hope that you'll be anything more than an annoyance, but she finds you mildly amusing, for reasons I have yet to fully grasp. Since I can't have her sulking for the entirety of the summit, you will need to keep her amused."
"I need to keep her amused? Me? She's obviously upset with you for obvious reasons. If you can't see that then well I'm sorry, that's on you. I plan on staying in this room until I know I'm not going to get attacked by strange vampires, who think I'd make an excellent blood whore."
"Staying by my sister's side is also for your benefit as well, which is the only reason I'm even here. No one would dare hurt you in her presence, very few vampires would even look at you," Quinn pointed out, irritation evident in her voice.
"I thought that was what this stupid collar is for," Santana grumbled pointing out the collar on the dresser. "If that was just some bullshit—"
Quinn frowned and held up her hand stopping Santana from continuing. "It isn't. If this was fifty years ago that symbol would protect you against other members of the Red Court. Unfortunately for you, Charlie is no longer a Knight and I am no longer a Bishop. What that means is that there are members on the court that simply outrank us and we are supposed to be subservient to their demands. We are not, but if you think these walls protect you from them then you are mistaken. Being in my presence or Charlie's will make them reconsider."
The solemnness of Quinn's eyes and her frank words send a shiver up Santana's spine. She's sure that Quinn can hear her heartbeat but tries to school her face anyway. "I'll be fine." She lies.
Quinn rolls her eyes. "Is this before or after you cause an incident? You want to see what happens when we're demoted again? Due to the terror attacks it's highly likely that it's going to happen. You think you're going to live and enjoy these benefits while we're pawns? Or perhaps she'll strip us of these lands and you'll get another vampire to lord over you, wouldn't that be fun for the humans. You'd be dead but at least—"
Santana scowled, Quinn was certainly laying it on thick. "Fine, you've made your point, where is she?" Spending a few days watching stupid cartoons with Charlie didn't sound awful, though she was worried about Charlie attempting to feed her all the cakes and candy that she normally ate.
"The roof. Playing with her swords. Do try to avoid getting stabbed," Quinn smiled before turning to walk out of Santana's room.
"Great." Santana groans to an empty room before grabbing a shirt and some pants. "That's just fucking great."