Where Secrets Lie

Kara had a hard time finding words to respond. "How do you know?" She finally blurted out.

"About vampires?" Grant scoffed. "Why do you think I showed you the footage of Alyssa at Immortal? They are dangerous!" He lowered his voice as he dragged Kara further away from the entrance. "I understand you joined to protect her, but she's gone... Kara. You need to get away from these evil creatures."

"I think you have outworn your welcome, Mr. Grant." Michael appeared at Kara's side, wrapping his long, slender arm around her shoulder.

"I would advise you to let her go before I do something I won't regret," Michael said, glowering.

Kara snatched her arms away from both of the men. "Are you fucking kidding me?! It's my sister's funeral! I just… can't… not today of all days." She ran off, her heels scuffing the tiled floor.

Grant glared at Michael. "If something happens to Kara, I will… "

"You will... what?" Michael replied with a cocky smile.

"You'll find out soon enough," said Grant as he walked away, keeping watch over his shoulder.

************************************

Kara found her way to the beach once again. She sat in the sand, looking and listening to the wave's crash on the shadowy shore. Memories of Alyssa ran through her mind. She recalled Alyssa gushing about Logan and the feelings she had been developing for him. She thought of Alyssa's comments on her relationship with Michael as well. She wondered if it had been her little sister's plan the whole time to bring the two of them together. Tears rolled down her face, and she let out a soft chuckle.

"You know, when you can laugh, that means the pain is easing and everything will be alright." Logan slid down into the sand beside Kara. She knew she shouldn't have been pleased to see him, but somehow she was.

"I was thinking about the beach party we had. You know, it was obvious then that she was in love with you," Kara replied.

He knew the questions about himself and Alyssa would present themselves sooner or later, he just wished that it didn't have to be at such a tragic time. "Ah. Sometimes I wish I would have shown her sooner... how much I loved her."

Kara studied his chiseled face, the pressure on her heart tightened. "Why didn't you save her?"

Tears beaded his eyes, "I tried. God knows I tried." His eyes connected with her, "Elijah wouldn't let me leave." He turned back to watch the sun setting. "Said it was against our rules." His voice became usually calm. "He didn't even let me retrieve her body." His eyes turned a bright emerald green. Kara never saw Logan this angry. He was always good at keeping his demeanor unperturbed. "I didn't even get to say goodbye!" His eyes returned to their normal color as tears dropped from his eyes.

Kara had no words. She placed her hand on top of his. "I've had over 200 years of experience dealing with death and grief. All those years don't make it easier." He relaxed his hand and interlocked his fingers with hers, "I loved your sister." He wiped the tears from her cheeks, "with all my heart. I keep playing the last words I said to her in my mind..."

"I know how you feel, but don't do that to yourself. It will tear you up inside," she replied, knowing that emotion more than anyone.

"I won't if you won't. Promise me, Kara. Every day, let's try to think of the good times with Alyssa. It's the only way we will get through this."

- 2 MONTHS LATER -

The weeks went by, but Kara's grief had only begun to fade. She tried to replace the pain with happy memories. She didn't know where to turn in her life anymore, but she knew that Alyssa would have wanted her to stay positive, so that's what she was doing.

She stood in front of her sister's grave, smiling instead of crying for the first time.

"You know your sister is the first person to be buried on our estate. I consider it an honor." Michael approached her, holding a bouquet of white lilies. He placed them gently beside the tombstone.

"Your dad wasn't buried here?" Kara asked, admiring his gesture of kindness. She still had mixed feelings about his role in everything that had happened.

"No, my mother buried him somewhere. We still don't know where," he responded, eager to change the subject.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I haven't stopped looking, and I never will."

They stood side by side in silence until they were interrupted by Henry. "Kara, Elijah calls for you," the handsome butler said as he approached.

Kara and Michael followed him into the library. Elijah was there with a pale woman who was wearing a patterned dress that could partially be seen through the massive amounts of auburn curls cascading across her shoulders and down her body. Historical books were stacked all around them.

The woman gracefully slid up to Kara. "Is this her?"

"Yes," Elijah responded, "Kara, this is Michele. She's what you might call a "witch", and a dear friend of the family's."

"A witch?" Kara looked to Michael, "Witches exist? What's next? Unicorns?" said Kara with sarcasm.

Elijah laughed, "Don't be ridiculous, unicorns don't exist." He snapped the book shut and placed it on the table. "However, witches, yes, they do exist. How else do you think we vampires get privacy in this house?"

Kara looked to Michael for the answer, "Witches spell the house so we can't hear outside the room we're in.

Kara looked back to Elijah, annoyed, "Why am I here?"

Elijah responded with a grin. "I think I found out what you are."