"Wait! Calm down. Someone was in your room?" Liam asked. I nodded and we all sprang up and ran to the room I was sharing with Harry. Harry pushed open the door and we all walked in, the boys surrounding me, protecting me from any potential danger. We walked into the kitchen and I shrieked.

Blood dripped off the counters and pooled at my feet. Before I could see the source, a hand covered my eyes and pulled me into their embrace. I cried out, knowing that another person had died.

"Wait, there's a note!" Liam called. I heard the rustling of paper before Liam read it aloud."To Gwen and the Boys: Because you failed to hand over Gwendolyn, we killed another human. Someone Gwen knows. You're standing in their blood right now. I left her body as a reminder. Give us Gwen or you'll soon find another body." I shivered and a sob shook my body like an earthquake. It's my fault that another human is dead. Wait, I know them... Who could it be?

"W-who is I-it?" I stuttered through the tears.

"It's Dakota." One of the boys said.

Dakota. Dakota Springs. She was one of my best friends at school. Sure, she was a bit emo and dark, but she was still a great person. She always had a beautiful laugh and sparkling blue eyes. She was always there for me. And now, she's dead. I shrieked in agony as my heart tore itself to shreds. I felt myself being handed off to someone else and began to lose my emotions. I was becoming neutral. Niall. I glanced up and his eyes were flashing multiple colors. I watched as they settled on my forest green and a tear slipped from the corner of his eye.

"Niall!" I wrapped my arms around him and drew him into a giant hug. I kissed his cheek and he hugged me back. I glanced over and caught Harry watching us with a foreign expression, but I just ignored him.

I heard movement, but didn't dare look up. The boys were probably just cleaning up the mess and checking the suite. I clung to Niall as he cried, knowing he had taken my pain for me.

Eventually, Niall ran out of tears and the boys had stopped moving around. I was dragged over to the couch and sat between Harry and Niall.

"Gwen, I want you to know right now, that this isn't your fault-"

"Harry, if I had given myself to them, everyone would've been safe!"

"And you would've been dead. Gwen, everything happens for a reason. You're here for a reason, and we plan to keep it that way." Harry stared intently into my eyes as Niall tearlessly sobbed in my shoulder.

"It's still my fault, they're after me."

"It's not your fault, remember? Look, you weren't the one who killed them, that beast did. Don't balme yourself, blame them. Blame me for protecting you from them, just don't blame yourself." Harry's eyes glinted with an unfathomable emotion before he closed his eyes, trying to hide a glimpse of pain.

"I wouldn't blame you..." I whispered as I gently reached up and touched his face, aching to stop his hurt.

His eyes flashed open and he stared at me, surprised. I blushed and pulled my hand away, regretting that move. It probably only made his pain worse since he was missing that girl he obviously loved so much.

I sighed, still feeling guilty as hell for everything though.

"What did you do with the body?" I whispered suddenly, wondering what became of my friend.

"We buried it out in the woods, where no one would find it." Harry said grimly. I nodded and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and I smiled to myself. I glanced at him and he actually looked a bit cheered up.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, remembering my pathetic human frailties. I shook my head and leaned on his shoulder.

"Then go ahead and sleep." He murmured, and began humming a tune and I fell asleep almost instantly. But I was immediately zapped into a nightmare.

*****

I was sprinting through the woods. My chest rising and falling quickly, my legs pumping as fast as they could go. A dull ache registering in me through the adrenaline. But I had to run. I had to get away. I had to get into the light, out of this dark forest. Branches cut my skin and bruised me as I ran past them. I heard my pursuer growling behind me and them growing closer and a whimper escaped my lips. I stumbled and fell into the light. I hit the bright green grass and all the oxygen left my body in a gasp. I laid there, stunned. But I screamed bloody murder as I felt a hand grab my ankle and start to haul me back into the shadows.

"Noooo!" I screamed, over and over as tears welled in my eyes. I flailed and kicked, but they were too strong.

"Let her go." A stern voice growled. It was feminine, but I couldn't see their face through my tears.

"What's she to you?". A gruff voice responded.

"Let. Her. Go." I felt the hand release my ankle and the female pulled my into the bright meadow. I collapsed in a heap at her feet and was surprised when I felt her arms wrap around me in a hug. I brushed away the tears and looked at the girl.

"Dakota?!" I whisper shrieked.

"Gwen!" She hugged me.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I feel strange. I don't know what it is. But I missed you, Gwen!"

"I missed you too!"

A growl echoed from the bushes and I shuddered.

"Uh oh, I have to go. But I want you to know that I'm okay and that it isn't your fault. Goodbye, Gwen!" She kissed my cheek, then disappeared in a blinding flash and the lights went with her. A voice cackled through the darkness.

"Sweet little Gwen..." I heard footsteps approaching me.

"You'll soon my mine, my candy," I felt a hand caress my cheek and I turned away from them, earning a chuckle.

"You'll see. And there isn't anything those boys can do to keep you!"

~~~~~

"Gwen!" I moaned and rolled around.

"Gwen?" The voice persisted.

"What?"

"Are you ready to go see your new house?"

I groaned and sat up. I rubbed my eyes sleepily, faintly remembering the dream.

I met the green eyes of Harry and he smiled at me. He took my hand and helped me up from the bed. I stretched and went to get ready. I trudged into the bathroom and got into the shower.

I stood under the water as it ran down my body, burning my flesh.

What the hell? I looked down and saw multiple cuts and bruises. Exactly like the ones in my dream.

!

I stared at the cuts, confused. It was just a dream. It had to be a dream. Maybe I randomly got mauled by a cat while I was asleep? This can't be happening. Should I tell the boys?

No. They'd just worry and it'd endanger them more. Besides, it's probably nothing, right?

I shrugged it off and got out of the shower. I put on a long sleeved shirt and jeans, because I had to hide those suspicious cuts and bruises. I brushed my teeth and brushed my hair, then proceeded to trudge from the room. Louis was waiting for me on the bed. He stood up with a grin on his face when he saw me.

"Let's go, Niall's probably eaten half of the kitchen by now."

I giggled and took his hand and we began to leave my suite, but Louis paused in the doorway. He glanced at me.

"Gwen, are you hurt? I can smell your blood..."

Crap. Crap, crap, crap. Wait, I just took a shower. Light bulb!"Oh, uh, I accidentally cut myself while shaving."

He cocked his head to the side, considering this, then nodded. We continued out of the suite and to the elevator. It dinged and opened, but the person in the elevator I was not expecting. I shrieked and jumped behind Louis as he went rigid.

It was the man who broke into our apartment. He stared at me for a minute, before his lips curled into a grin.

"Well, what do we have here? Louis, give me her." He growled at Louis. Louis snarled and shoved me farther behind him.

"No, you can't have her." I squeezed his shoulder nervously.

"Don't make this difficult, give me the Blood Rose!"

"I have a name, you know!" I shouted without thinking. Crap. They both turned to me in surprise as I legitimately face palmed myself. Louis shook his head and turned back to the man.

"Leave us alone." Louis hissed. The man smiled, then leapt at me. I shrieked and a snarl ripped through Louis's throat. He threw himself into the pathway of the man as they soon developed into a blurry vampire fight. The elevator dinged again and out ran four people. Two ran to my side as the other two joined into the fight.

"Harry, take Gwen to a safe place and keep her there, we'll dispose of this beast." Liam commanded, then disappeared into the fight.

Harry pulled me into his arms and I pressed my face against his chest. I felt the unsettling affect of vampire speed when he took off. I felt the whooshing of wind for a few moments until all movement stopped. I pried my face away from his shirt and looked into his green orbs. He carried me over to this couch in whatever place we were at. I felt the cool surface of the leather press against me and Harry sat down next to me. He didn't say anything, he just hugged me as I gasped into his chest, worried about the boys.

"It's not your fault, Gwen, we'd do anything to keep you safe..." He murmured. A few moments of silence passed.

"Harry?" I asked.

"Hmmm?"

"Are the boys gonna be okay?"

He nodded and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"What are we going to do? I don't like putting you guys in danger like this!"

"Gwen, we don't mind. We actually want to keep you safe. And that's what we'll do."

"But at what cost, Harry?"

"We'd risk our lives to keep you safe," He whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as tears welled in my eyes.

"I won't allow it. I'd rather die."

"Don't say that, Gwen. We won't allow you to die."

"And I won't allow you guys to die for me!"

"Gwen, it's worth it!"

"But you barely know me!"

"We know you more than you think."

"So what, you've been stalking me?" As sick as it sounds, that thought actually made me smile, knowing Harry actually cared about me.

"No, I remember every detail from those play dates. I remember how it was when your dad died. I remember how you needed someone to keep you together. I remember wishing I could be the one who kept you together. I remember when you cried and I held you. I remember when you tried to be brave for your mom and the twins. I remember that lilacs are your favorite flowers. I remember when you had a crush on Drake. I remember when he broke your heart. I remember thinking how great it'd be if you liked me back."

"What do you mean?"

"I had a crush on you. Ever since that day in the tree house, when it rained and you were blaming me because I forgot to fix the roof. You were soaked and shaking, but then you started laughing when you realized how ridiculous we looked. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around you, knowing you were cold. You thanked me and kissed my cheek..."

"I had a huge crush on you! How did you not notice? It was so obvious! All I needed was a sign to announce it! But I never did anything because I thought you'd never like me back!"

Harry's eyes met mine when he realized what I said. "Do you still like me?"

I froze. What? How do I answer that? Did he like me? "Uh... That depends... Do you still like me?"

He answered by pressing his lips to mine.