[ BOOK ONE ]
Erin Gilbert believed the worst thing that could ever happen to her was the death of her parents. But when the Salvatore brothers waltz into town, she finds herself longing for the sorrow-filled days of the past.
All too soon, Erin's n...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
LOW BEEPS PIERCED the ear-splitting silence of the hospital room. A steady rhythm to match the sharp lines of the nearby heart monitor. Erin truly hated the sound. It burrowed into her ears and thumped relentlessly against her skull. If she never heard the terrible sound again, it would be too soon.
Erin poised on a chair beside the lone hospital bed in the room, legs crossed beneath her as she stared toward the form of her sister laid across the lumpy mattress. She thought the supernatural world had sapped her ability to experience true fear throughout her life. But when Elena collapsed in her arms and began to bleed profusely from her nose, Erin felt as though her heart had truly stopped.
It took mere seconds for Jeremy to barrel back into the room, finding Erin clutching their sister as she tried to wake her up. He immediately dropped next to them, tearing his phone out to call an ambulance.
Not the smartest plan, seeing as how Alaric was still on the loose and free to roam about with the sun no longer in the sky. But what else could they do? Damon and Stefan were away, taking care of Klaus's body, and no one else could've reached Elena in time to help. It was worth the risk.
Erin perked up when Elena shifted on the hospital bed. Her eyes fluttered, squinting against the fluorescent lights above them. Erin tried to dim them as much as she could, but it was like the place thrived on brightness.
When Elena fully opened her eyes, Erin dropped her legs and scooted to the edge of the chair toward the bed. "Hey," she voiced to grab her attention.
Elena turned her head to face her with creased brows. "What happened?" she questioned, taking in her new surroundings.
"You collapsed," Erik explained, setting her hands on the edge of the mattress. "Jer called an ambulance. There was - a lot of blood. You scared us."
Elena's confusion remained. "Blood?"
Erin nodded. "Yeah, some kind of nose bleed. Meredith said you're okay, though. You hit your head earlier, so you have a concussion. She thinks it might've injured a blood vessel in your nose. You'll be fine."
The diagnosis didn't entirely make sense in Erin's mind, but she was just glad Elena was alright.
Elena nodded, raising a hand to touch her head. An IV still attached to her arm. "I feel fine now."
"Good, but Meredith wants to keep you overnight for observation," Erin stated in response.
"With Alaric still out there?" Elena asked, dropping her arms back to her side.
