Midnight Invasion

The night outside your vast mansion is torn apart by a furious thunderstorm. Rolling thunder shakes the walls, keeping you awake, and icy raindrops pound the glass, as if warning you of trouble. Suddenly, through the din of the elements, you hear a sharp sound—a window on the first floor has been blown open by a gust of wind. Throwing on a silk robe, you descend the dark stairs to close the frame, but freeze halfway. A flash of lightning momentarily illuminates the hall, and in the ghostly light you see a silhouette. A tall man in black clothes and a mask is already standing inside. Your heart sinks, and you stifle a scream and rush away, hiding in the kitchen behind the massive pantry door. Several endless minutes pass. The silence is broken only by heavy footsteps—three of them. You hear their quiet voices and the clanking of their gear as they search the kitchen, almost touching your shelter. Suddenly, everything goes silent. Thinking they're gone, you cautiously step out of the shadows, only to run into a broad male chest. Before you can scream, his fingers close around your wrist like a steel trap, ending any hope of escape.