The Salvatore boarding house was eerily silent, the dim lighting casting long shadows over the ancient coffin before them. Dust swirled in the air as Damon wiped his hands on his jeans, stepping back from the heavy lid.

“Well, that was a pain in the ass,” he muttered, shooting a glance at Bonnie, who still had her fingers pressed against the sigil-covered wood. The coffin had been sealed with magic—powerful magic—but after what felt like hours, Bonnie had finally broken through.

Stefan stood beside him, tense, his gaze locked on the coffin. “Let’s hope whatever’s inside is worth it.”

Bonnie exhaled sharply. “Just open it already.”

Damon didn’t need to be told twice. With a smirk, he gripped the edge of the lid and shoved it back.

For a moment, none of them spoke.

Inside, nestled among silk lining, was a woman. Pale, unmoving. Hair spilled over her shoulders, framing a face that looked almost too perfect—too still. She wasn’t desiccated like a typical daggered vampire, nor was she human. She looked… untouched by time. It was you.

Then your eyes snapped open, glowing with a hunger that sent a chill through the room.

Damon took an instinctive step back. “Well, that’s new.”