Chapter 1

I jolted awake from my work desk, my heart hammering against my ribs like it wanted to break free. That dream had felt way too real. Rex's mask, the cold blade, Scarlett's screams, and Cass's desperate face.

God, that nightmare felt so vivid. Maybe it's just pre-wedding jitters? Mom always said I overthink everything. But that feeling of the knife going into my chest... I could actually feel the pain.

I shook my head, trying to push away those horrible images. It was just stress talking. Sunday was my wedding day, and any bride-to-be would be freaking out right about now.

I glanced at the clock: 6:47 PM. Friday night, Cass working late at the law firm, and me alone in my Brooklyn loft putting together the final wedding details.

Maybe I should get out of here, call a friend or something. This place feels too quiet tonight, reminds me of that awful dream.

I was reaching for my phone to call Madison when the doorbell rang.

"Sloane? It's me!" Scarlett's voice came through the door, warm and familiar.

I opened it to find my stepsister standing there with a bottle of red wine in her hands and a concerned smile on her face.

"Hey, sister," she said, pulling me into a hug. "You look stressed. Thought you might need some company tonight."

"Scarlett! What are you doing here?"

"Can't a girl visit her sister without a reason? Besides, you're getting married in two days. I figured you might be nervous."

"Actually, I was just thinking about getting out of here. Maybe we could go grab dinner somewhere?"

"Go out? But why? We can order in, have some wine, just relax here."

She has a point. Why deal with crowded restaurants when we could be comfortable here? We could catch up properly, just like old times.

"I don't know," I hesitated. "I had this weird dream, and this place feels a bit..."

"A bit what?" Scarlett looked at me with concern.

"Creepy? I know it sounds silly."

"Oh, honey, that's totally normal. Pre-wedding jitters, that's all."

"You think so?"

"I know so. My friend Emma had nightmares for weeks before her wedding. It's your brain processing all the big changes."

"Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Come on, let's open this wine and toast to your last weekend as a single woman."

She always knows how to make me feel better. That's why I love Scarlett so much. She's always there when I need her, always knows exactly what to say to calm me down.

I let her in, and the shadow of that nightmare started to fade.

Scarlett expertly opened the wine while I grabbed glasses from the kitchen. We settled onto my couch, the familiar ritual already making me feel more relaxed.

"So, tell me about this nightmare that scared my brave sister."

"It's embarrassing. I dreamed that someone broke in here, and there was violence, and..." I shuddered.

"And?"

"And people I love got hurt. Including you."

"Aw, sweetie." Scarlett reached over and squeezed my hand. "You're worried about losing the people you love because you're starting a new chapter. It's completely normal."

"Is it?"

"Trust me. Once you're married and settled, these anxieties will disappear."

She makes so much sense. I've always been a worrier. Remember in high school when I had nightmares about the house catching fire and couldn't leave home for a week? Mom took me to see a therapist, and she said it was just anxiety manifesting.

"You know what?" I said, feeling better already. "You're absolutely right. Let's just enjoy tonight."

"That's my girl!" Scarlett raised her glass. "To sisterhood, to love, and to happily ever after."

We clinked glasses, and the wine was warm and sweet.

For the next while, we chatted about wedding details and Scarlett shared funny stories from work. I felt myself completely unwinding.

"Remember when we were kids and we used to plan our dream weddings?"

"Oh God, yes! You wanted to marry a prince, and I wanted to marry a rock star."

"Well, you got your lawyer prince, and I'm still waiting for my rock star." Scarlett laughed.

"Cass isn't exactly a prince, but he's pretty close."

"He's perfect for you, Sloane. Sometimes I'm a little jealous of how perfect your life turned out."

"Jealous? Of me?"

"Come on, look at you. Beautiful apartment, successful career, gorgeous fiancé, family money. You're living the dream."

She's jealous of me? But Scarlett's always been the confident one, the one everyone gravitates toward. She must be joking.

But I noticed her smile had a bitter edge to it.

Maybe work hasn't been going well lately. I should check in with her more often.

"Scarlett, if you ever need anything—"

"I know, sweetie. You're the best sister anyone could ask for."

We kept talking as time slipped by. I felt completely at ease now, and that nightmare seemed like ancient history.

"You know what's funny?" I said. "In my dream, the guy showed up at exactly 7:50. Isn't that oddly specific?"

"Dreams can be very detailed," Scarlett said, but did her voice sound a little tight?

No, I'm reading too much into it. She's just listening carefully.

"The weird thing is, everything felt so real. The timing, the setting, even what we were wearing."

"What were we wearing?"

"You had on that blue sweater, and I was in my gray hoodie."

I looked down at myself. I was indeed wearing my gray hoodie. And Scarlett... she was in a blue knit sweater.

Just a coincidence. I probably noticed what we were wearing tonight and my brain recycled it for the dream. That's how the mind works.

But a strange feeling started churning in my stomach.

Bang bang bang.

Someone was pounding on my door. Hard, aggressive knocks.

Time seemed to freeze. I looked at the clock: 7:20 PM.

Wait. In my dream... when did the knocking start?

Bang bang bang. Louder now.

"Who could that be at this hour?"

That knocking pattern... this timing... this feeling...

"Sloane?" A strange man's voice called from outside. "Open up!"

My blood turned to ice. That voice... I'd heard that voice in my dream.

Now he was kicking the door.

No. This can't be happening. It was just a nightmare. But what if... what if it wasn't a dream? What if that wasn't a nightmare, but... a memory?

I looked at Scarlett. Her face was pale, but her expression... she looked scared, but there was something else I couldn't quite read.

The door shook from the impact.

"Oh my God," Scarlett whispered, "what do we do?"

My heart nearly stopped beating. All of this... exactly like my "dream." The time, the place, our clothes, the way he was knocking...

*This isn't a dream. This is a memory. I died once, and now I'm back. Oh God, that means Rex really is coming to kill us.

I stared at Scarlett, and a terrifying reality hit me like a truck.