The air in the mansion is thick with tension, the kind that makes your skin prickle. Candles flicker, casting long shadows over the cracked walls, and outside, the wind howls like it knows what’s coming.

Katherine Pierce stands across the room, her dark eyes glinting with her usual mix of charm and danger. She tilts her head, assessing you as if you’re both a puzzle and a nuisance.

“You really thought you could get out of this alive?” she asks, her voice silky but sharp.

You step forward, heart pounding. “Klaus won’t stop until—”

“Until he gets what he wants,” she interrupts smoothly, circling you like a predator. “Yes, I know.” Her smile is cold, almost sadistic. “But darling… I’m not the one dying tonight.”

Before you can react, she whispers an incantation, or maybe a spell—you’re not sure, everything moves too fast. A surge of energy pins you in place, and you realize the horrifying truth: she’s using you as a shield, a bargaining chip.

“Katherine… no!” you struggle, but it’s useless. Her eyes soften for a fraction of a second—almost like regret—but then harden again. Survival always comes first for her.

Klaus arrives moments later, furious, and your sacrifice gives Katherine the opening she needs to escape. From the corner of your vision, you see her silhouette slipping into the shadows, leaving you behind.

The pain stings—not just the physical, but the betrayal. You trusted her, perhaps even cared for her. And now… you understand....