Chapter 10
Santana’s hands trembled slightly as she unpacked her things in the room Kol had given her. It was a small, quiet space, but she was too distracted to care. The weight of everything that had happened was still settling over her, the adjustments to being a vampire, the strange new family dynamics, and the looming threat of the extremist vampire faction that had brought them all here.
She sighed, rubbing her temples, trying to push away the exhaustion. She hadn’t had a chance to process everything; especially the parts that still felt so alien to her, like living in the same city as the Mikaelsons, let alone training with them.
Then, she heard it.
A soft, distant voice.
At first, she thought it was just her mind playing tricks on her. She had been stressed, and maybe the silence of the room was messing with her. But then she heard it again, unmistakable and clearer this time.
“San… Santana?”
Santana froze.
Her heart skipped a beat. No. That couldn’t be.
She couldn’t be hearing that. Not after everything.
She strained her ears, trying to make sense of it. No way. No way in hell was that Brittany’s voice.
But it was. It sounded just like her.
She pushed the thought away, standing quickly, deciding that it was just her imagination. There was no way Brittany would be here. Not now. Not in this place. But the voice came again, louder and more insistent.
“San, I know you're in there…”
Santana’s eyes widened, and she stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do. It had to be a hallucination. It was the only logical explanation.
Then, in a blur, she vamp-sped out of the room, not knowing what she was hoping to find or expecting, but she couldn’t stop herself. Panic clawed at her chest as she sped down the hall, her senses heightened, her mind racing. The voice was getting closer, guiding her, pulling her forward.
And then, there she was.
Brittany stood in the hallway, her bright blonde hair shimmering even in the low light, looking just as confused as Santana felt.
Santana skidded to a halt in front of her, and the force almost made her crash into Brittany. Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes locked with Brittany’s. The shock was instantaneous. Was she hallucinating? Was this some twisted dream?
Before she could speak, Brittany, wide-eyed and clearly startled by Santana’s sudden appearance, raised her hands. A swirl of magic shot out, and Santana was forcibly pushed back, landing with a thud against the wall a few feet away.
Santana blinked, still reeling from the shock, as she glanced up to see Kol and Freya standing nearby, both looking impressed.
“What the hell was that?” Santana asked, still trying to collect her thoughts as she stood up and dusted herself off.
Brittany, with an expression that could only be described as sheer delight, grinned at her. “Oh my god, Santana? Is that really you? This is crazy!”
Santana’s mind was a mess, and her emotions were all over the place. She hadn’t expected to see Brittany, especially not here. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded, unable to keep the frustration from her voice. “This is not safe! You shouldn’t be here!”
Brittany tilted her head, completely unfazed. “I’m more capable than you think, Santana. I kept you back, didn’t I? That should be proof enough.”
Santana crossed her arms over her chest, still rattled, but she wasn’t going to back down. “You’re a witch, Brittany. You have no idea what’s going on here. This is a war. And you, you can’t just waltz in without understanding how dangerous it is.”
Freya stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. “Enough, both of you,” she said. “You were both brought here for the same purpose. We don’t have time for fights.”
Hayley, who had been watching the exchange with an amused smirk, stepped in as well. “She’s right, you two. The extremist vampire faction, the Scorned, is still out there. They’re hunting down every supernatural being they can find.”
Hope, who had just walked into the room, raised an eyebrow. “You think they’ll go after my dad? He is the original hybrid, after all. The Scorned would be dumb not to target him.”
Kol, leaning casually against the wall, gave a half-smile. “Don’t worry about Klaus. He’s not here, and no one knows where he is. The Scorned can’t hurt him, not right now anyway. But Hope, you and Hayley are different. Hayley’s a hybrid, and Hope, well, you’re the tribrid. You’re both prime targets.”
Santana raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms again. “So, wait. You’re telling me that me and Brittany, who are what, a baby vampire and a witch, are so important? The Mikaelsons are literally the most powerful family in history, and you want us to help? Don’t get me wrong, but how does that make sense?”
Hope, clearly not used to people doubting her or her family, smirked. “You’re right. I’m pretty much the most powerful being to exist. So why don’t you leave the saving-the-world stuff to me, huh?”
Santana, trying to hold back a smile, couldn’t help but respect Hope’s snarky attitude. “Alright, kid. I respect that.”
Freya took a breath, stepping forward to calm the room. “Listen, all of you. The Hollow’s curse weakened us, and we can’t be together in the same place without risking everything. That’s why we need you, Santana, and you, Brittany. You have skills we need, and we can’t fight this battle alone. We’re at a disadvantage as it is.”
Santana still looked unconvinced, but the weight of Freya’s words settled in. She couldn’t deny it; if the family was at risk, she’d have to do whatever it took. But she didn’t like the idea of Brittany being thrown into the chaos.
“Fine,” Santana muttered reluctantly, though there was still a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “But if anything happens to her—”
Brittany grinned, cutting her off. “Nothing’s gonna happen. I’ve got this, Santana. Don’t worry.”
Vincent couldn’t help but chuckle as he walked toward them. “Oh, trust me. The last time Brittany said she had something under control, she nearly turned the kitchen into a fire hazard. But I’m sure she’ll manage this time.”
Santana shot Vincent a look, but then turned to Brittany, giving her a hard, meaningful stare. “If you mess this up, I swear—”
Brittany waved her off. “I won’t, I won’t. Promise.” She grinned widely, clearly delighted by the tension between them.
Freya cleared her throat, cutting the banter short. “Enough. We don’t have time for this. The Scorned are closing in, and we need everyone working together. No more arguments, no more doubts.”
With that, the room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of their mission hanging over them all. The extremist vampires were still out there, and if they didn’t stop them soon, there would be no New Orleans left to protect.
The battle was coming; and whether they were ready or not, they would have to face it together.