Where Secrets Lie

His face was firm and cold. It made her miss the grin she hated so much up until this point. She felt her heartbeat slowing, and she looked to Logan. He no longer wore a smile on his face either, his gaze glued to the floor. The three of them stood in silence, for what felt like ages.

"OK, I will go get dressed," she said, defeated.

The dimples came back into Michael's cheeks. "I'm glad to hear that. Logan, tell Henry to find Ms. Everitt a suitable ensemble. I will not have my employees drooling over her wares as well."

Henry escorted Kara to a slick black limousine. Her white-blonde hair was curled and pinned up in a sophisticated style. Henry had a better sense of fashion than she did. The outfit he picked out for her included a red silk blouse with billowing sleeves and a tight black pencil skirt. She looked like a true professional, except when she walked or rather stumbled in her tall red heels. Her choice in career left her lacking in feminine charm.

She tumbled into the back of the limo and slammed the door. Michael sat, already waiting for her. He wore a tight-fitting black suit and a red striped tie. She slightly jumped when he addressed her. "Logan was right. You do look ravishing in red. Whoever did your make-up did an excellent job. You can barely see the bruise that my dear friend left on your pretty face."

Kara self-consciously glanced at her reflection in the window and rubbed her fingers against her skin where the bruise had been so vivid earlier. She cringed in pain. "It's good to know the kind of friends that you keep."

"I assure you, he will not be leaving marks on any more of my servants." Something in Michael's voice made Kara's flesh rise. "Though I am surprised at how you're taking this. I thought detectives were cut from stronger cloth. It seems I was wrong."

"I'm not upset at the fact that I was attacked," snapped Kara with a fire in her eyes. She'd been attacked countless times, and it didn't bother her. However, the fear of her sister being hurt frightened her to her very core.

Michael looked at her, contemplating. "I reassure you, your sister gives her blood to Logan willingly."

A wave of relief flowed over her, but she still did not like the fact that her sister allowed herself to be so vulnerable to these creatures. Alyssa had always been too naïve and meek. Kara fought her battles for her since the day they first met, and she wouldn't stop.

The ride was silent. Kara didn't want to talk to Michael, but the silence pained her. Finally, the limo pulled up to a gray building that touched the sky. The sign hanging over the doors spelled out "Caswell Financial Group." Kara hadn't any idea what a financial group was or what it did, but it was obviously a lucrative job since it made the Caswell family beyond wealthy.

As they entered the building, Kara looked around, expecting to find something sinister, but it looked like every other business building in the city. She followed Michael to the elevator, and although the building was crowded, Michael made a point to nod at every person they passed. She made a note in her mental detective notebook. Blood isn't enough for him. He craves attention and admiration. He feeds off it as much as he feeds off the blood.

Kara's stomach sank as her body rose within the elevator. She heard a ding as the number 17 lit up above her and the metal doors slid open. A frail man with thinning hair and large spectacles peeked out from a door down the hall at the sound of the elevator arriving and began to walk toward them.

Michael whispered in Kara's ear. "That's the C.E.O. of this company."

His shiny shoes squeaked across the floor as he approached. His high pitched voice trembled as he spoke. "Is this a new servant, Michael? I'm much obliged to meet you, ma'am." He stretched out his hand.

"Kara," she responded and gave him her hand. He gave it a tight squeeze and shook his arm up and down vigorously. His grin was wide and goofy. "He knows what you are?" Kara questioned Michael, never removing her eyes from the nervous little man in front of her.

"All of our higher up employees know the secret of their company's founding family. Some of them are even former servants, isn't that right?" Michael said with a wink.

"Always a servant at heart, sir." the C.E.O. responded. "Shall we begin the meeting now?"

"Yes, the quicker we're done here, the quicker I can get back to my busy life of sitting around and being waited on hand and foot," Michael joked.

Mr. Jackson chortled, but it was too loud to be sincere. "I've missed your sense of humor, sir, I will start getting set up." He walked into the room, leaving Michael alone with Kara for a moment.

"My office is down the hallway. My secretary should be in there working," he paused, looking irritated, "or gossiping on the phone, or some other nonsense. She will keep you company until the meeting is over." He disappeared into the board room and closed the door without giving her a chance to reply.

She peeked down the hallway, not sure where she was going, but she knew she had to do as he asked. Slowly, she headed down the hallway toward the largest, corner office.

A busty blonde sat behind the desk holding a cellphone to her ear and laughing loudly. Kara hovered at the door but the girl failed to acknowledge her presence and continued her chatting. Kara almost turned around and left, but Michael told her to wait there for him, so she must be allowed in there. She took a deep breath, stumbled over to the leather armchair and grabbed a magazine. As she pretended to read the magazine, she noticed the secretary occasionally looking at her in an inappropriate manner.

Why is she checking me out? Kara thought.

Without even saying goodbye, the blonde hung up the phone. "How are you today, Mr. Caswell?" Her voice was far more cultured and polite than it had been on the phone.

"I'm doing quite well. Would you mind accompanying myself and Kara to our vehicle?" He smiled, showing his teeth. It reminded Kara of how his fangs had looked as they descended into her neck during the ceremony. As she imagined them moist and red with her blood, she grew nauseated.

"Of course. How could I say no to a beautiful smile like that?" she responded, stripping Michael with her eyes.

She stood and walked to the front of the desk. Kara failed to hide her grimace as she looked at her. She looked far more like a porn star than a secretary. Her white, tight blouse barely fit her ample breasts. Her black mini skirt revealed her wide thighs, and Kara was sure she caught a glimpse of her underwear as she walked toward the door.

When they finally reached the limo, Kara flung open the door, jumped in and kicked off her heels. She waited for Michael to follow her, and if it had been anyone else, she would have started shouting for him to hurry.

Outside the car, the two of them were deep in conversation, and to Kara's horror, when they finished talking, his secretary did not go back inside. She followed Michael into the limo. As soon as the door shut, they were in a passionate embrace.

She sat on his lap as he slid off her lace panties. However, her neck was more appealing, and he bit her, drawing blood.

"What the hell?" Kara shouted.

Michael's pouty lips curled back in an evil smirk. "Join us." Kara shook her head with ferocity, causing Michael's smirk to turn into a grimace. "You are not allowed to refuse me!"

"The hell I am," Kara said and attempted to leave the car.

"If you leave now, do not come back to the mansion. I don't need servants who are unwilling to serve."

Kara knew she shouldn't, but she ignored him and clamored out of the limo. Michael shoved the woman off his lap and slammed the door shut, leaving Kara on the sidewalk, bare feet with shoes in hand.