I wake up with a gasp, my chest heaving as the remnants of the dream cling to me. My skin feels clammy, damp with sweat, and my heart races as if I’ve just been running. The image of those piercing red eyes burns in my mind. They stared at me, unblinking, filled with a hunger that made my stomach twist. Just as I felt them reaching for me—claws ready to tear into my heart—I bolted upright.
The sound of heavy rain fills my ears, its rhythmic pounding against the window oddly soothing and unsettling at the same time. I glance outside, and my breath hitches. The sky is a dull, oppressive grey, rain pouring in relentless sheets.
“Rain on a wedding day,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself. “Isn’t that supposed to be a bad sign?” I shake my head, forcing a weak smile. “No, it’s Christma
