Blood Ties

Chapter Seventeen

Santana wasn't sure how long she had been there. She knew that it was rather late that she had turned up with Rachel bleeding in her arms, and she was met now by the early minutes of the day beginning to dawn. The starting rays of the sun bled through the small gaps of the blind, creating an odd pattern on Rachel's bedroom floor.

Santana knew that she couldn't leave Rachel. It was the only thing she was sure of the previous night. Everything was happening around her, but she cared very little. It felt like someone was tearing her heart apart as she watched Rachel struggle to hold on. Santana hand never felt fear like it.

But the fear she felt almost made up for the relief she had easy over her when Rachel had awakened. It felt like someone had taken a buss of her chest, that she could finally breathe again. Not that she needed to breathe, but it was a habit that all vampires had. In the rare occurrences, it helped vampires blend in with humans.

"Santana." Rachel mutters as she began to stir. Santana pushes herself off the small chair she had set her self upon during the knight and kneeled besides Rachel's bedside.

"I'm here." Santana whispers. Rachel eyes slowly drift open, the first thing she saw was Santana's soft smile. It was something she did not mind waking up too, if she was honest.

"Good morning." Rachel smiles warmly as she goes to reach for Santana, but the memories of what had happened the night before flooded back. "Oh god." Rachel whispers to herself, drawing her hand back as she runs it over her side, jolting from her fingers simply grazing over the bandage.

"Take it easy, you took a good hit last night." Santana suggests as she reaches for Rachel's hand and gives it a soft squeeze.

"It was the Night Crusaders." Rachel states plainly. "Their leader, I think. They were there when I got attacked by the wolves. They were in control. They wanted me dead, to make sure I don't disrupt his plans."

"I'm sorry Rachel." Santana whispers, lowering her head in shame. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I should've never let you walk off."

"Hey." Rachel calls out sternly, reaching out and tilting Santana's face back to her eyeline. "It wasn't your fault, okay? This was no one's fault. We are going up against someone powerful, that sometimes means we get hurt. But we don't let it beat us, okay?"

"I could've been there for you." Santana starts but Racuel shakes her head.

"You can't protect me every second, Santana. Plus, I'm the one who's meant to protect you." Rachel smirks, to which Santana responds with a smile.

"We going to talk it?" Santana questions. She could tell by the look in Rachel's eyes that Rachel knew exactly what she meant. The bombshell Rachel's mom had dropped on them the night before.

"I don't even know what it means." Rachel sighs. "I mean, soul bond? I've never heard of a thing."

"Neither have I, I must admit. But she seemed so sure about it." Santana responds softly. And Santana also thought it felt right. When she heard it, it felt like everything had fallen into place in her mind. What made Rachel so special to her, but she wouldn't be the one to admit it.

"I guess..." Rachel quickly trails off, as if she was thinking of how to word what she wanted to say correctly. "It makes sense, in a weird way. We both feel the need to be close to each other. That... primal feeling to protect one another."

"Primal feels accurate." Santana smirks. "Look, I don't know if your mom is right. It could just be a legend that's been warped over many years. I mean, how did she even know what it was, if it's so rare?"

"Sorta part of the job description, Santana." Rachel quips as she reaches out to take Santana's hand within her own. "Look, maybe it is a soul bond. But then again, maybe it isn't. Who's to say? I don't see the point in putting a label on whatever we have going on, if we don't need too."