I couldn't forget her vibrant orange hair and those piercing crimson eyes as they locked onto my emerald ones. I was utterly frozen, unable to move a muscle, paralyzed by fear. My heart pounded against my chest, and blood rushed through my ears as she stalked forward.

I could see the murderous intent burning in those crimson eyes, and her expression revealed a twisted enjoyment of the fear she sensed emanating from me. It was clear she was going to relish every moment of tasting my blood and draining me dry, delighting in my terror and her impending victory.

In the blink of an eye, she was suddenly right in front of me, leaving me unable to even scream. She flashed a twisted, devilish smile before opening her mouth and plunging into my neck. Though paralyzed, I could still feel the excruciating sharpness of her teeth. They were like unrefined diamonds, razor-sharp and effortlessly tearing through my flesh and muscle. The pain was immediate and intense, searing through me as she fed, savouring every moment.

I felt the warm trickle of blood down my neck as she ravenously devoured my lifeblood. Darkness crept into the edges of my vision, and I began to choke on my own blood. My lungs burned, desperate for oxygen but filling with blood instead, each breath more laboured than the last.

Victoria was ravenously tearing into my throat, as if my blood were an addictive drug she couldn't get enough of. My life was slipping away as she greedily guzzled down the warm liquid. I tried to scream, to do anything, but blood clogged my throat, suffocating me further. Then, I heard a bone chilling snap...

I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open, wide and alert. I quickly scanned the familiar room around me, my heart pounding furiously against my chest as the remnants of the nightmare clung to my mind. I turned my attention to the cushion next to me but Emmett wasn't there.

I remembered that we had watched The Phantom of the Opera. I had tried to explain the plot and its deeper meanings to him, but he didn't quite grasp the concept. Afterward, we put on another movie, but I must have fallen asleep halfway through. The last thing I recalled was being nestled against Emmett.

My mouth felt parched as I raised my hand to my neck, tracing my skin as if searching for bite marks, but there were none. A sigh of relief escaped my pursed lips as I turned my attention to the windows, confirming that it was still night outside.

"Emmett?" I croaked; my voice strained from the dryness in my throat. I quickly rose to my feet and circled the coffee table, noting the half-eaten bowl of popcorn and a few candy bars with their wrappers tossed aside. I have a sweet tooth, and they were for me.

My feet patted against the flooring as I had removed my shoes to get comfy on the couch with Emmett. I headed through the main room, and into the kitchen. Upon entering, I noticed a silver platter on the table, its contents hidden beneath a cover. The sight warmed my heart, knowing that he had taken the time to prepare a meal for me.

As I approached the counter, my hand instantly flew towards the cool metal of the handle. With a loving smile, I lifted it, revealing the mysterious contents on the plate.

My heart sank as I stared at what lay before me. With the cover slipping from my grasp, I was engulfed in utter shock, unable to contain the agonising scream that tore from my lips, echoing through the kitchen with raw emotion.

There on the plate lay Emmett's severed head, severed from his body and served as a gruesome centrepiece. His once lively eyes now started lifelessly and dull, sending a shiver down my spine. I couldn't suppress another cry, this one more agonising and heart-wrenching than the last, as the horror of the scene before me engulfed me in despair. It drowned out the sound of metal hitting the ground.

In an instant, I stumbled backward, colliding with a hard, icy surface that sent a shiver all over. With wide eyes, I spun around, only to come face to face with her crimson gaze. Before I could react, she lunged at me once again, sinking her teeth into my flesh. This time, I screamed at the top of my lungs, the sound soon drowned out by the overwhelming taste of blood filling my mouth.

Once again, I jolted awake, my body instinctively pushing away from Emmett's large frame as I frantically scanned the room. My heart pounded heavily against my chest, each beat reverberating through me like a drumbeat of panic. Ragged and shallow breaths escaped my lips, leaving me feeling as though I was suffocating, the tightness in my chest constricting with each passing moment.

"Are you ok?!" Emmett rushed out, leaning in to come into my view. "Your heart is racing," he announced, his concern evident in his voice. He could hear it more clearly than I could ever. But as I focused on his gentle face, a sense of calm washed over me. My heart began to slow, and the panic and fear seemed to fade away, as if he were the radiant sun casting away the shadows of my distress.

"Just... just a bad dream," I announced, reluctant to divulge the details of my nightmare to him. I didn't want to spoil our time together. I cast my gaze out to the windows to still see it was night. "What time is it?" I inquired, my gaze shifting back to Emmett.

"About three," Emmett replied casually.

"In the morning?!" I asked, dumbfounded by the late hour, but he just chuckled at my response.

"We watched that Phantom movie, and then you fell asleep halfway through the second movie," Emmett explained. "And I didn't want to wake you," he added, his voice soft and gentle. "Don't worry, I phoned your grandma. She said it was alright," he continued, his words bringing a sense of relief.

My expression softened, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips. He extended his arm, inviting me to return to the comfort of his embrace. I accepted his invitation, shifting back into my previous position and nestling against him once more. As I leaned into him, his arm enveloped me in a reassuring embrace. I placed a hand on his chest and curled my legs up on the cushion, finding peace in his presence.

His large hand gently rubbed up and down my arm, the cold of his fingers palpable even through the fabric of my jumper. Soon, his fingers began tracing slow, idle circles on my arm. I exhaled softly through my nose and tilted my head up to meet his waiting gaze, as if he had anticipated the moment, I would look at him.

"You know," he began, still tracing idle circles on my arm with his fingers. "I can't stop thinking about us kissing." A boyish smirk appeared on his face, causing me to smile back at him.

"It was truly something," I remarked, still unable to find the words to fully capture what I had felt in that moment. However, a tinge of pain flickered in my eyes as the memory of the nightmare resurfaced. Emmett's head served on a platter, and the way my heart shattered into millions of pieces felt as real as this moment. It was something I couldn't simply forget.

"Emmett," I whispered, my voice barely audibles as my gaze drifted away from him. "Will you stay with me through the night?" I asked, my voice softer than I had ever heard it, as I brought my eyes back to meet his. In truth, I was terrified to go back to sleep, fearing she would be there again, waiting with Emmett's head on a platter.

"Of course," he replied sweetly, his voice carrying that familiar deep timbre. Without another word, he leaned down and kissed me softly. The kiss lingered, a tender and meaningful connection that I savoured. It was unhurried, filled with a quiet promise, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

Emmett pulled back from the kiss gently, our lips reluctant to part but finally separating. He offered me that boyish smile that never failed to melt my worries away. I nestled down and made myself comfortable in his arms. He continued to trace circles on my arm, his touch gentle and comforting. Gradually, my breathing slowed, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me. With a contented sigh, I allowed my eyes to flutter shut, revelling in the soothing sensation of his touch.

......................

The sound of birds singing greeted me as I began to stir awake, my eyes fluttering open slowly. I realized I was now lying on my side, cocooned in a hefty blanket with a pillow carefully positioned under my head. The rest of my sleep was blissful, devoid of any nightmares involving Victoria or her harming Emmett.

I slowly sat up, allowing the blanket to slip off of me, and I cautiously glanced around the room, straining to listen for any signs of activity. The silence was deafening, and a wave of unease washed over me. What if this was just another nightmare? What if I were to discover them all lying lifeless? Panic surged within me, threatening to overwhelm my senses with its suffocating grip.

"Morning," Emmett's rough voice echoed through the air, causing me to snap my head towards him. He was leaning against the wall, his gaze wandering over my face. "Sleep well?" he asked, his question grounding me and easing my nerves.

"I did," I began, shrugging off the blanket and rising to my feet. Emmett pushed himself off the wall and made his way towards me. "Did you watch me sleep?" I questioned playfully as I met him halfway, a grin tugging at the corner of my lips.

"In a non-creepy way," he remarks, chuckling at his words. Before I know it, I wrap my arms around his neck and rise on my tiptoes to press my lips against his. Our mouths moved in sync, his tongue dancing across the roof of my mouth, igniting a fiery passion between us.

"Sorry to interrupt," Alice's voice echoed in my ears, causing the two of us to break away from the kiss. And there she stood, mere inches away, eyes flickering between us, a bright smile lighting up her face as if she took pleasure in seeing us so happy. "Are you wanting a ride home? Or do you want Emmett to take you?" Alice's eyes darted to Emmett for a moment before returning to mine, her smile still bright on her lips.

I shifted my gaze to Emmett, studying him closely. The golden hue of his eyes, usually so vibrant and warm, had dulled, gradually morphing into a deeper shade that verged on black. It was a subtle yet unmistakable indication of his growing hunger.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes," I said, tilting my head back to Alice with a smile as she nodded and swiftly darted off in the direction she came from. Returning my attention to Emmett, I noticed a frown creasing his forehead as I unwrapped my arms from around him and fell flat on my feet.

"I could have taken you," he replied, his tone tinged with a hint of hurt at the fact that I hadn't chosen him.

"You need to hunt," I spoke softly, meeting his dull gaze with concern. "And I think Alice is already planning our wedding by her reaction," I remarked, a laugh escaping my lips and his. "What do we tell people? What do we tell your family?" My laughter faded as a rush of questions flooded out of me.

"We don't have to tell them anything," Emmett replied, his large hands sliding down both of my arms in one smooth motion before he interlocked our fingers. "We don't even have to make it official," he continued, his voice soft and gentle, causing my expression to soften in response. "All I want is to be near you," Emmett's words caused my legs to weaken, but I squeezed our interlocked fingers in response.

"Just a big softie, aren't you," I replied with a playful smirk.

"With only people I like," he cooed in response, before leaning down and pressing his lips to mine, causing my heart to swell with affection. The kiss was brief, and he pulled back with a wide smile. Dropping one of his hands from mine, he led me through the house with our remaining hands interlocked.

The trip to the car passed in a blur, with Alice already waiting in hers. But my focus remained solely on Emmett. We came to a halt a few inches away from the car, and as I spun around to face him, a smile graced my lips.

"Thank you for last night. I really needed it," the words spilled from my lips, filled with genuine gratitude, and I could see in his eyes that he knew it.

"So did I," he responded, his gratitude matching mine. I leaned up and planted a kiss on his cold cheek, though to me, it didn't feel cold. It was a brief peck before I pulled back. Starting to walk away, our fingers still interlocked, I felt them slowly pulling apart, but I could see in his eyes that he didn't want me to leave. Eventually, our fingers parted, and I made my way around the car to the passenger side, where I got in.

Alice sped down the driveway and onto the road, and I found myself smiling. "So, how do you feel about a June wedding?" Alice cocked her head towards me, and I met her gaze. She held a smirk on her lips, and I hoped she was joking. Well, at least I hoped she was joking.

But the question lingered in my mind. Could I see myself marrying Emmett?

*******************