"NO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, the frantic sound tearing violently from my raw throat.
I vaulted upward, throwing my body off the mattress so quickly that my feet tangled in the sheets, nearly sending me crashing face-first onto the hard floor boards. My heart thumped like a wild, erratic war drum against my ribs, threatening to burst right through my chest. Thick, cold sweat poured down my forehead and neck in serious waves, causing my thin nightgown to stick uncomfortably to my trembling skin.
I spun around frantically, my wide, bloodshot eyes darting across every dark corner of the quiet bedroom. The beautiful garden was gone. The terrifying man with the glowing crimson eyes had completely vanished. Yet, despite the empty room, I could still distinctly feel the icy, iron gri
