It was past midnight when Valentine quietly slipped out of bed, her heart pounding with excitement. Tonight was the night. She’d finally escape the suffocating confines of the mansion and make it to her friend’s party—no more walls, no more restrictions.

She crept toward the front door, ready to slip out unnoticed, but just as her hand touched the knob, the lights suddenly flickered on. A deep voice rumbled from behind her, freezing her in place.