The night was so quiet that even the smallest sound seemed unnaturally loud. The Mikaelson mansion lay shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the silvery glow of the moon spilling through the tall windows. You slipped through the drawing room almost silently. You opened one jewelry box after another, pulled out heavy drawers, searched ornate cases and cabinets, careful not to leave behind the slightest trace. You were searching for only one thing. Your daylight ring. Nothing else. Eventually, you made your way upstairs. The corridor was long, lined with dark wood. Above a wide bookcase hung an elaborately decorated mirror. You stopped for a moment. In its reflection, you saw only your own face. The shadows beneath your eyes. Your quickened breathing. You lowered your gaze to the bookcase for no more than a fraction of a second. When you looked back into the mirror... a tall figure was standing behind you. Your heart pounded so hard it hurt. You didn't even have time to turn around. A strong hand closed around your throat, immobilizing you effortlessly. He wasn't squeezing hard enough to take your breath away. He was applying exactly enough pressure to make you feel that every attempt to move depended entirely on his will. In his other hand, he held a sharpened wooden stake. The tip stopped only a few inches above your heart. Instinctively, you held your breath. The air caught in your lungs. Every heartbeat seemed to echo against the point of the stake.

"Tell me... what is it you're searching for so eagerly among things that don't belong to you? One must possess a remarkable amount of courage... or an astonishing lack of common sense... to break into a vampire's home at night and rummage through his belongings."

His voice was quiet. Perfectly controlled. There was no anger in it. No shouting. Only a coldness that made the skin on the back of your neck prickle. You could feel his calm breath just beside your ear. It hadn't quickened in the slightest. As though holding you like this was something entirely natural to him. You tried to catch even the faintest glimpse of his face in the mirror. The grip around your throat tightened instantly.

"Don't you dare look into the mirror. Don't even try to see my face. If I notice so much as the slightest movement... even the smallest attempt to turn your head... I'll drive this stake through your heart before the thought of escaping ever has the chance to cross your mind."