Where Secrets Lie

Kara took a step back. His words pierced her heart like a bullet tearing through flesh. She was rendered speechless. The wooden stake clanged on the floor as it dropped from her hands. Kara back away slowly, catching a glimpse of Hannah before leaving the room.

Michael grabbed Hannah by the arm and dragged her into the sunroom. The moonlight shined through the stained glass, making lights dance on the walls. A purple and yellowish hue splashed across Hannah's pale face. "I'm sorry. I will tell you everything they're planning. I swear." She whimpered, chewing on a strand of her long dark hair.

"Once the others see you how I do, they will come around."

"Don't hold your breath." She scoffed as she looked out of the windows into the darkness.

"Listen, Hannah," She turned towards him, giving a defeated look. "I care about you, but I will never be with you again. Not like that. I love Kara."

"I know. I was afraid of losing you until I finally realized I never had you. " Hannah placed her hand on his chest, "Even when you didn't remember who she was, she still held your heart."

Michael gave a faint smile then placed his hand over hers, "Stay. Not for me, but for yourself, and you'll always have me as a friend," They hugged each other tightly. "I have to talk to Kara now."

"I know," she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand.

Kara sat in the cellar on top of the coffin. Her teardrops rolled down the expensive finished wood. Alex took a seat beside her, "Hannah, huh?"

"Yeah. Good ole' Hannah." She ran her hand across her face to wipe the tears. "You should stay down here until we know we can trust her," she said, trying to compose herself.

"She's staying?" asked Alex, his curiosity peaked.

"I'm not sure but Michael trusts her, and no matter what, I will always trust him," said Kara, standing to her feet.

"Of course," he responded, standing up as well. He noticed Michael standing at the opening in wall "I'll just leave you two to talk things out," he said, smiling at his son as he passed by him.

"I have nothing to talk about," Kara bluntly stated, and followed Alex out, without even giving Michael a second glance.

*

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Sunrays suffused the manor as morning arrived. Kara was on her way out the front door when Michael stopped her. "Can we talk?" he asked.

"Not now. I'm on my way to work."

"You're working again? As a detective?"

"Michael," Kara said with an irritated voice. "Did you think I sat around and waited for you these past 4 months? You moved on. I had to as well. I didn't have the Caswell mansion or money anymore. I had to make a living."

"No. I just−"

"Whatever. I have to go," she said as she grabbed her keys from a bowl near the door and stormed out.

Kara arrived in the alley at the corner of Pine and Oak Hill Street. She walked past the sea of reporters and nosy neighbors to meet Grant in the taped-off crime scene.

"Drained of blood," he said as he looked down at a lifeless body. "We're keeping the reporters off of this one until we can come up with a cause of death." Kara was happy everything was out in the open with Grant. It made their partnership even stronger. They had their own special folder of cases in which vampires were involved.

Kara turned to look at the reporters. Amongst them, stood a woman wearing a mask. The same mask as the servant who stabbed her at the masquerade ball. She shoved her way through the crowd, making her way towards the mysterious woman. As she approached, the reporters surrounded her, asking questions while shoving their microphones in her face. The woman disappeared leaving Kara with only frustration.

Grant stepped in, "We will give you more information when we know." He ushered her out of the media mob and they headed for the station.

An irritated boss waited for their arrival, "One of you go talk to the girl's mother. She is driving me crazy," growled Chief.

Kara walked into the interrogation room. The woman sat at the table with her head down, crying hysterically.

"Ma'am," Kara spoke up catching her attention.

The metal chair screeched across the floor as the woman quickly stood up. She glanced at Kara's face. "She's dead. I knew it when no one would tell me anything!" She sat back down clutching the wet tissue in her hand.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Kara said taking a seat across from her.

"She was all I had left," The woman said as tears rolled down her face. "She wanted to make up with me. We got into this huge fight and we were going to meet at the Green Leaf restaurant to talk it out. But she never made it." The woman dabbed the salty tears from her face with the tissue. "If you have someone in your life, cherish them. They won't always be in your life forever, take it from me."

Grant exited the observation room in time to see Michael entering the station, carrying roses. Grant's face scrunched up in anger. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I'm here to see Kara. Where is she?" he responded, ignoring the fury emanating from Officer Grant.

"You're married. Kara has finally got her life together and here you come trying to mess it up for her. She hates you."

"You should let her decide how she feels."

"Let her decide? You broke her heart, and I'm the one who helped her get over you. She's no longer yours, she's mine."