Vampire For Love

Bandages on the Heart

I try to get up with my hand on my stomach, but the pain is intense. I lean on the sink and take deep breaths, trying to stay calm. With effort, I manage to reach the door and open it slowly, but I soon collapse on the floor of the hallway.

Elena walks down the hallway and sees me lying there.

— Natasha! What happened?

Struggling, I manage to reply:

— I need help.

She kneels beside me and says:

— Try to stay calm, I'll help you.

Elena brings her own wrist to her mouth, but then stops and says:

— Ugh, I'm not a vampire anymore, I almost forgot.

— How come?

— I took the cure, at the wrong time.

Elena goes into the bathroom, grabs a roll of toilet paper, and hands it to me to help stop the bleeding. She puts her hands on her head, then seems to think aloud:

— Caroline isn't in town, Damon and I aren't on speaking terms, Bonnie is already home... Stefan!

Quickly, she goes after Stefan through the hall. I am in front of the women's bathroom; anyone could come by and see me here. I struggle to get up once more, trying to head towards the exit of the hall.

As I am halfway down the hallway, Elena returns with Stefan. He sees me and asks:

— Natasha, what happened?

— I'll explain later, I just need help right now.

Stefan picks me up and, with vampire speed, takes me to a place where we won't be seen, a forest. He sets me against a tree.

For the second time that day, he bites his own wrist and brings it to my mouth, and this time I nod, knowing that this might heal me.

Shortly afterward, the wound on my stomach disappears, but my dress remains torn and stained with blood, as does my neck.

— Thank you, Stefan. Again.

He smiles and asks:

— Now that you're recovered, who did this to you?

— It was Hayley; she used a stake.

— Why did she do this?

— I don't know... Actually... It's because of Elijah.

— What does Elijah have to do with it?

— She's jealous of him because I was with him for a while, and now she hates me for it.

Stefan is silent for a moment, processing what I've just said. His eyes show a mix of concern and understanding.

— That explains a lot — he finally says, his voice low and measured. — So that's why you ran off after our kiss, you were going after him.

— Yes, and I need to be honest with you, I still have feelings for Elijah, but now I'm scared of what Hayley might do to me.

Stefan extends his hands towards me to help me up. We both stand, and he keeps holding my hands as he says:

— We'll sort this out. First, we need to make sure you're safe. Hayley can't keep acting like this.

— And what about Elijah? — I ask, trying to understand how he feels about all this.

Stefan hesitates for a moment before answering:

— He'll be devastated when he finds out what Hayley did. But that's not the most important thing right now. What's important is that you recover and stay safe.