Where Secrets Lie

"Hi, big sister," said Alyssa, scowling. "Missed me?"

Kara shook her head in disbelief. "How?"

"Elijah. He saved me while you left me to die."

"I didn't leave you! You were dead!" Kara said with tears falling down her face.

"Because of you!" yelled Alyssa. "You are death. You killed your mother, your father. MY PARENTS! Then me." She looked her up and down, "Even a little part of you is dead, I hear. I want nothing to do with you." Alyssa stood before the broken down Kara. She pulled her arm back and let it fly, her hand connected with her sister's cheek. Kara did nothing to stop the sting.

Hannah jumped in between them to stop the fight. She looked at Kara, making sure she was alright. Alyssa pulled out a syringe and before Hannah could defend herself, she was injected with a silver fluid.

Hannah dropped to the floor, dark veins spreading. Her breaths were short and ragged due to the pain of the silver injection. Alyssa backhanded Kara, the force of it caused her to fall to the ground. Alyssa leaped on her sister and wrapped her fingers around her neck, squeezing.

"Kara!" Hannah yelled through her agony. "Kara. Fight back! It's a game remember. That's not Alyssa anymore."

Kara gasped for air as Alyssa choked the life out of her. In her eyes, Alyssa wore a sadistic look mixed with a sparkle. Kara felt herself about to blackout, but something dangling from Alyssa's neck caught her eye: Kara's crystal necklace. She kicked Alyssa away and clamored back to her feet.

"Whoever you are..." Kara said, catching her breath, "you're not my sister. Alyssa would never hurt innocent people or her friends. You may have her memories but you are not her!" Kara stated boldly while holding her neck.

Alyssa started clapping. "Well, look at you. Elijah doesn't give you the credit you deserve. You really are a clever little detective. I think you're the first person to survive the Mad Hatter. Let me formally introduce myself. The name is Catherine." she replied, giving a curtsy.

Hannah looked shocked trying to refrain from fainting. "Catherine?"

Catherine looked back at Hannah. "Hello, baby sister."

In the distance, Michael called out Kara's name. Kara looked away for a second, and when she looked back, Catherine was gone. She ran over to Hannah to help her up just as Logan and Michael ran up behind them.

"What happened to her?" Logan threw Hannah's weak body over his shoulder.

"Silver injection," said Kara. "What about Elijah?"

"He ran off," replied Michael.

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They returned to the manor and Kara stormed in, not pausing for a second. A recovered Hannah and Logan followed after her. Michael saw Henry and approached him, "Thank you for helping us."

"I'm surprised you didn't call me sooner," replied Henry.

"I should have. I'm sorry. I would like for you to stay."

"Of course. You are my master and I'm loyal to you."

"No, not as my servant, Henry. We need you as a part of the team. Henry, I release you," Michael announced.

"I don't know how to feel about it. I've always been your servant," responded Henry, looking uncomfortable in his expensive suit.

"For a century, I know. You will learn how to be normal. Trust me." Michael put his arm around his shoulder. "You're going to love not having to wait on me every minute." Michael grinned.

Kara frantically searched the house, finally reaching the library. Alex, Michele, and Amy sat there looking at research. Upon spotting Kara, they all greeted her, but Kara ignored them. She made a beeline for Michele and seized her throat. With her strong hands around the witch's neck, she shoved her against the wall. Michele's feet dangled off the ground and she struggled to breathe. Behind Kara, everyone simply watched.

"Catherine is inside of my sister, and I know it has something to do with my necklace!" yelled Kara as she slammed her against the wall once more. "What did you do?"

"She can't talk if you're choking her," said Amy.

Kara released Michele, and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. Amy helped her to her feet just as Michael and Henry ran into the room.

"Elijah had me tweak the spell on your necklace. Instead of keeping vampire abilities within a body, it keeps a vampire soul within someone," said Michele, still catching her breath.

"That's just great! Because of you, Catherine is inside of my sister!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what it was for. I just did my job and left."

"How do you break the spell?" Logan interrupted.

"Just take the necklace off and the spell should reverse." She frowned. "But there's no guarantee on what you're going to get back when you do that."

Hannah stepped forward, "What do you mean?"

"−dead," Kara finished.