Where Secrets Lie

- FOUR MONTHS LATER-

Kara gently placed the tulip in the ground then swooped the dirt around the stem of the flower. "There," she said, patting the soil down. She slipped the glove off her hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She stood up to take in the beautiful view. She had been working on the garden for months and her hard work was paying off.

She broke her lease when she moved into the Caswell mansion. Michael's childhood home was the only place she could turn to after she was forced to leave the clan. Kara put her hands on her hips in pride as she scanned the colorful yard. As she slipped the glove back on her hand, she spotted a small brown weed growing by the base of the house. She walked over and placed the shovel on the ground. She pulled at the weed, but it didn't budge. Again and again, she tugged at it, but instead of the weed coming out, the ground started to crumble beneath her feet. She tried to leap backward, but it was too late, and she let out a gasp as she fell into a hidden pit. A rusty metal pipe pierced her abdomen as she landed on the hard ground, and she let out a scream.

Her breaths became jagged as she laid there writhing in pain. Kara looked up at the hole above, the sunrays were peeking in. She slowly stood up, dirt still falling around her. Kara wrapped her fingers around the pipe and took a deep breath. In one quick motion, she yanked out the piece of metal from her side. She let out another wail that echoed in the deep trench. Her hands trembled with shock as she dropped it to the ground.

Kara raised her bloody hands to her face to block out some of the light. She wondered if there was a way out as she looked up at the huge opening. She then peered around at the pit. "Where am I?" The remains of a stairway sat on one side of her, and she realized she stood in a cellar.

Kara walked over to the shovel that fell into the hole with her. She picked it up and began pounding at the wall, her curiosity overtaking her pain.

Finally, there was an opening large enough for her to fit, and she climbed through. The other side of the wall was musty and filthy, making it difficult to breathe. The only light penetrating the room came from the hole she had created. However, the beam cast light upon an expensive cherry wood coffin.

Kara's breath caught in her throat as she reached out to remove the coffin lid. She had a strong feeling of who's remains were in that coffin. Carefully, she slid open the top and let out a loud gasp.

While there was a stake through the vampire's heart, it wasn't a decaying corpse. Instead, it was a healthy, living, sleeping vampire, and there was no mistaking the blonde hair and model-like beauty. "Alexander!" She clasped her hand over her mouth.

Using the stones and other debris from the cellar, she created a pile to climb out of the pit. She had no idea what to do about Alexander, but she did know she couldn't help him until she took care of her wound. She headed into the bathroom. As she undressed, she looked down to inspect her puncture, but it was gone. She stared at her smooth skin, in disbelief. "It healed." As Kara finished showering, she paused at the sight of her bloody handprint on the nozzle. She knew exactly what she needed to do.

Kara hurried to the blood bank of Ayers Hospital. If there was one thing Alex was going to need, it was blood...a lot of it. She approached the nurse and smiled. "I'm here to pick up the blood for Caswell."

"I thought the Caswells already did pickup," replied the plump nurse, looking at a chart that she pulled from beneath her desk.

"We did, but miscounted how many we needed," said Kara, fiddling with a lone curl hanging from her temple.

"Oh ok, well how many more do you need?" asked the nurse.

"Ten bags?"

"Of?" The nurse replied, staring suspiciously over her glasses. Kara only looked back in confusion. "What type, dear?"

"Oh! A Positive, I guess." Kara's heart pounded like a drum as the nurse walked into the back, but it calmed when she dropped a box full of bags in front of her.

"Sign here," the nurse said, handing her the chart.

With a shaking hand, Kara signed and then turned around and left as soon as possible. She tossed the box of blood into a large messenger bag she carried.

She headed for the exit, she spotted a familiar face, Amy. Kara diverted her gaze and looked down, covering her face with her hair, hoping Amy would not recognize her.

Kara?" Amy asked.

Kara pulled her bag closer to her, trying to hide the blood. "Amy, hi." Her voice trembled.

"How long has it been?" Amy asked as she approached Kara.

"Four months," Kara said tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You know, Michael and Hannah got married two months ago," she said, studying Kara.

"I know. It's kind of hard not to hear about it," she replied.

"Yeah, it was everywhere, newspapers, magazines, TV." Amy looked at Kara's disheartened face. "I'm sorry. I don't know when to shut up."

"It's fine. I have to go anyway."

"Kara, wait," Amy called, but Kara ignored her. She hurried away, wiping away the budding tears in her eyes.

By the time she reached the cottage, she was completely on edge. Michael's father took up most of her mind. She sat in a chair, watching him lay there with a finely crafted piece of wood protruding from his chest. A struggle raced in her mind. "Should I call Michael?"