1 Chapter 1: the Dream

An invisible force, beyond her control, steered her through the dark, second floor hallway towards their bedroom door. Apprehension mingled sadistically with a hint of terror, and it lingered in the air like a sick stagnant fog. Desperate to catch her breath in protest of the ominous air, she paused outside the sealed door.

Her legs quaked, sending tremors to every point in her body. If she didn't get a grip, she'd be taking a knee or worse. Staring at the door, she sucked in one sharp composing breath before delving deep to muster the courage to open it.

Intense trepidation had a grip on her mind, making it impossible to be rational. The other side of the door held the reason for her unease, and the impending doom taunted her without mercy. Something horrific waited for her - something that made her stomach clench and her heart ache.

Attempting to shake off the uneasy feeling, she rolled her shoulders and stepped forward. Her hand trembled uncontrollably as it reached out but calmed when her fingers curled around the smooth, brushed brass handle.

Answers were now within her reach - with the simple twist of her wrist.

But it didn't feel simple. Instincts voiced their silent concern by shrieking in her ears, urging her to turn and flee, but idiotic curiosity compelled her to move forward, so she turned the handle and eased the door open.

The master bedroom that she and her husband Greg shared was empty. Greg's bedside lamp provided the only illumination in the room, but it was enough to clearly define the liquid that dripped down the wall at the head of their unmade bed. She stepped closer to investigate but stopped dead in her tracks, gaping at the thick, crimson liquid that trailed down the wall and gathered in a pool on Greg's pillow. She recognized the strange substance as the same lifeforce pulsing through her veins with incredible ferocity.

Her mouth opened, prepared to release a scream, but icy terror paralyzed her vocal cords, so she turned and ran from the room. If she knew anything, it was that she needed to escape and with her husband unaccounted for, she had to save herself.

Tearing through the house, she made her escape through the patio doors and raced down the shadowy street, convinced a malevolent being was in pursuit. She glanced back several times, expecting to discover the culprit, but the only thing hot on her trail was senseless fear. Desperate to outrun it, she propelled her legs to the brink of agony, pushing through the pain until the world spun out of control. Her thoughts, a dizzying mass of confusion, forced her legs to stop. Her eyes searched the dark as she tried to steady herself and formulate a plan, but her swirling mind made it impossible. She lost her balance, collapsing into nothingness.

As if she had really fallen, a full-body convulsion rocked Cassie Woods from her dream. Gasping for air, she clutched her chest while trying to gain control of reality.

It was just a dream, she thought, swallowing hard while praying that it was just a dream.

Somewhere in the dark, the faint sound of snoring caught her attention. Her head swiveled, and she focused on her husband Greg's sleeping form. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see he slept soundly, oblivious to her current state. He seemed fine, but - trembling with fright, her gaze shifted to the wall above Greg's head.

"No blood. Oh, thank God!" Cassie whispered, releasing the breath she had been holding.

Totally shaken, she sat for several minutes, waiting for her heart rate to normalize, and the tremors to wane. The terror she felt in the dream seemed so real, so raw. She rarely had nightmares, but that dream was awful. Something happened to Greg in it, and judging by the blood on the wall, it wasn't good.

Shaking her head at the ridiculousness, Cassie admired her sleeping husband while reasoning with herself. Greg's fine. But commonsense couldn't erase the unease that had control of her body, and the thought of being sucked back into the same nightmare made it impossible for her to return to sleep. Leaning over, she smoothed a wisp of Greg's brown hair away from his eye and kissed his cheek. Rather than waste time stressing over a nasty dream, she could make use of the quiet and go for a jog to clear her head.

Dressed in a grey track suit, Cassie gathered her thick, straight, slightly-longer-than-shoulder-length, tawny hair into a ponytail and stepped outside. Her feet pounding against the pavement echoed throughout the sleepy predawn neighborhood that glowed beneath the shimmer of streetlights.

Her warm breath mingled with the dank mid-September air, cooling her body as it passed through her lungs. It was the ideal temperature for a jog, and normally it would feel amazing, but her mind was preoccupied with images from the nightmare. She shuddered, recalling the blood on the wall. What would have happened to Greg in her dream if she had slept long enough to find out? Probably, she didn't want to know.

Unable to shake the uneasy feeling, she ran until the high freed her mind from the negative effects of the dream. Forcing a change in mindset, she thought about Greg, and she suddenly couldn't wait to be wrapped in his arms. Pushing past the pain in her legs, she raced back to the house.

Sharing a delicious post-shag breakfast with her husband was just what the doctor ordered. With last night's nightmare floating somewhere in the back of Cassie's mind, she was free to enjoy time with Greg. They chatted casually during breakfast until the chirp of her incoming text alert interrupted them. She reached for the phone, read the message, and squealed with delight.

Startled, Greg looked up, eyeing her with question. "What's up?"

"Randy just assigned me my first case! I'm so excited! It's going to be my first solo surveillance job. I mean, I've been casually watching the target for a couple of weeks, but now the client wants to step up surveillance."

"Good for you!" Greg said, seemingly pleased with her news.

"This is going to be awesome! I can't wait to get started."

Greg's smile faded, and his head tilted slightly as though something crossed his mind. "Does this mean you're working tonight?"

Crap! she thought, recalling the plans they made for his time off. She bit her bottom lip, feeling bad. "Yes. I'm sorry. Do you mind? I feel like a jerk since we just made plans a few minutes ago. I know you have the night off, and I'd be ditching you, but we could spend the night together once I finish. It doesn't usually take that long to catch a cheater. I'll probably be working the whole weekend, which sucks, but if I get moving, maybe I'll get lucky."

"No worries. I could use the time to chill." He didn't sound angry.

"You're the best." The smile she sent him highlighted just how much she appreciated his support.

"Will you be doing night surveillance alone?" He shifted casually in his chair but averted his eyes.

She caught on to his concern because it was one that he had voiced many times before. "Yes. Do you want to come along? I know it's not what you had in mind, but we could drink coffee and chat."

"Ummm. No," he replied, clearly uninterested in the invitation. "I've had a long week, and I really just want to relax at home. Maybe you could take Eryn?"

"That's a great idea!" Cassie giggled. "Oh, she's going to hate it, but we could make it a ladies' night. I promised that I'd help with the yearlings this weekend, too. Do you mind if I spend the night at her place and check in with you tomorrow before I'm back on the job?"

"Sure," he said, shrugging indifferently.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked, sensing a shift in his mood.

"No." Shaking his head, Greg assured her with a sexy lopsided grin that he wasn't angry. "How could I be when you're ecstatic? This is good for your career. We'll have our night together soon?"

"It's a date!" Cassie stood and leaned in for a kiss. When their lips met, a nasty chill rushed up her arms to the base of her neck, and the same feeling of dread she experienced in the nightmare washed over her. As swiftly as the feeling arrived, she brushed it off, pulled herself together, and smiled against his lips before pulling away. He didn't need to be burdened with her silly dreams.

"I love you," Greg said, his brown eyes gazing deep into hers.

She melted a little and planted another kiss on his lips before turning to leave. "I love you, too. See you tomorrow." Eager to get to work, she grabbed her purse and dashed out the door.