She wiped her sweaty head and stood up.
"Joseph? Why did he look like that in my dream?" She felt cold and shivered slightly.
She had seen him, in her dreams, that same bar guy, the one who was definitely haunting her.
"Something does not feel right, I don't feel so good about that guy." She twisted her lips.
She gulped and went to her bedside table to get a drink.
Her windows suddenly clattered and clanged.
Her hairs stood up and she looked back. The windows were locked. A cold sweat broke on her forehead.
She walked to the windows trembling. She quickly lifted the curtains and saw nobody was there.
Her hands went cold and she trembled uncontrollably. She froze as she couldn't move back to her bed.
Something flashed past her. Her senses were alarmed. This is exactly what happened in her dream!
Her knees went numb, her face grew pale and her heart seemed to stop pumping blood.
She felt funny inside, she gathered her strength and managed to get to her bed.
The thing flashed past her again and this time with full force. Her heart began to race. She was already beginning to entertain crazy thoughts.
Her hairs stood up on their end. This time, she felt completely frozen. All her blood seemed to drain from her body. There was this strange cold source behind her.
She slowly turned. Her knees went completely numb and she fell on them. Her eyes were dazed and her mouth fell open.
The creature she saw in the dream was right in front of her! She wanted to scream but her voice seemed to be lost.
She couldn't support herself anymore. She just gaped at it.
He bent his neck to the right and smirked, showing off his long canines stained with blood.
She gasped for breath seeing them, her eyes went dizzy and everywhere went blank.
***
"Mariah? Mariah dear? Wake up."
She heard faint voices calling her name. She squinted opened her eyes and saw her mother and father looking down at her.
Memories of what she saw last night flashed in her head and she jerked up with a scream.
Clara and Brian were taken aback by her scream.
"Mariah, what's wrong dear?" Clara asked worried.
She was breathing really fast and hard.
"Th-there was-was, I saw- a-a" she stuttered sweating profusely.
Brian furrowed his brows.
"What did you see? Tell us."
She gulped and her hands shook uncontrollably, her teeth clattered.
Clara looked at her confused, "You're making me scared. Tell me what you saw." She held her hand to stop it from shaking.
Brian looked at Clara then back at Mariah.
"Tell us Mariah," He held her other hand.
She took a deep breath to calm herself down.
She gulped and said, "I saw a strange creature. He had strange glowing red eyes, he had the longest canines I have ever seen and they were stained with blood. His claws were terrible and long and he had the creepiest smile ever," She coiled.
Clara looked at Brian and they burst out laughing. Mariah looked at both of them surprised.
"You don't believe me?" She sounded hurt.
"Oh Mariah, you watch too many horror movies, of course you are bound to dream about them," Clara laughed.
"I've advised you against them but you don't listen. Do you see the outcome?" He shook his head and laughed.
Mariah was hurt, "This wasn't a dream, I saw it with my own eyes. I ain't making this up," She said vehemently.
Clara looked at serious, "Listen Mariah, such things don't exist. You only see them in movies or read them in stories. They don't exist at all,"
"But..."
"No buts, you woke up late today, that's why we came to check up on you." They stood up.
"Get ready soon and come out for breakfast."
They left her in the room.
She frowned and thought to herself, "I know what I saw. I wasn't dreaming when I saw it." She held her head.
"I'm so sure I saw it." She nodded.
She took a deep breath and managed to go to the bathroom.
...
She came out and met her parents sitting together, their heads were bowed and they seemed to be very afraid.
She entered the parlor, she spotted Joseph seated on a sofa, his legs crossed.
She frowned when she saw him. Their eyes met and he gave her that creepy smile, that smile she had seen the creature smile.
She froze and quickly averted her gaze.
"Uh... Mariah?" Brian called.
"Yes dad?" She replied.
"Mr. Smith here wants you to marry him next week."
Her jaws dropped, "What? Marry him next week?"
"And why not?" Joseph's cold eyes pierced her skin.
She glared at him and looked at her parents.
"Dad I don't wanna marry him." She whined.
Joseph pressed his lips, why was his mate so hard to get? He clenched his fists.
Clara held her head and Brian closed his eyes, "Not again." He muttered.
"Stop it now Mariah, you're getting married to him okay? There's nothing else we can do." She sounded irritated.
Mariah felt the tears well up in her eyes.
"Why are you both doing this to me?" She cried.
Joseph squinted his eyes, "Leave us alone."
Clara and Brian looked at him, "Huh?"
He looked at them and his eyes darkened. They immediately got the message. He wanted to be left alone with Mariah.
They quickly stood up and walked out of the parlor.
As they left, Clara whispered to Mariah, "Comport yourself Mariah, do not try misbehaving." She warned and left.
Mariah looked at Joseph who returned her gaze with cool eyes and smirked.
"You're trying to play hard to get huh?" He arched his brow and bent his neck to the right.
Mariah eyes widened, that's exactly what the creature did in her dream and in her room.
Her heart raced and she calmed herseld down. It could be a coincidence.
Sensing her fears, he smirked. So she could be this scared.
He stood up and walked to her. He stood in front of her, looking at her with his strange black eyes. They were darker than normal but unimaginably beautiful.
"Do you think you'll ever find love if you reject me?" He said with a teasing smile.
She knotted her brows, "Oh? You think you're the one for me?" She folded her arms.
He laughed softly, "I am the one for you." He said softly but authoritatively.
She frowned, what did this guy think of himself.
"All because my parents owe you money? Just because you think you're rich and influential?"
He raised his chin, "No."
"Then why?"
"That's because I am your mate."