Kara ran out into the back ally. With one hand on the brick wall, to hold herself up, she hunched over, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Here you are," her dance partner said. He began kissing her neck.

"Get off me. I'm about to throw up, idiot." She shoved him away, which only caused her to lose her balance and stumble backwards.

He took advantage of her weakness. He pinned her against the wall and began kissing her again. She tried to fight him, but the alcohol surging through her body altered her senses and movements. She rarely found herself helpless because she rarely put herself in these types of situations, but now she was beyond helpless. She groaned as he pushed up her dress and unbuttoned his pants.

"Stop," she said.

Ben's fangs descended.

"Not again," Kara thought.

Ben's fangs barely managed to touch her flesh before he was knocked across the ally into the dumpster. Michael stood in front of her.

"What are you doing, Michael?" the man demanded.

"She is mine!" Michael shouted, but it sounded more like the howl of a beast.

"I didn't know she was a Caswell servant," the man sounded afraid.

"Not just any servant, my servant!" Michael said through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry, Michael. Please, don't kill me." the man got down on his knees.

"Get out of here, or I will," he said.

The man rushed out of the ally toward the main road. As he disappeared around the corner, Logan burst into the alley. He quickly gathered what happened and offered his arm to Kara.

However, before she could take it, Michael walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder, but she shoved it away. "You push me away, even after I saved you?"

"I wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for you." She looked at him as if he were a rodent. "You are nothing more than a beast. I will always push someone like you away." She paused and then corrected herself. "No, something like you." She stumbled back into the club.

Logan shot Michael a sympathetic look but wasn't sure what to say. Michael pinched the skin between his eyes, annoyed "Get her home safely."

The following morning, Kara woke with a pounding headache. She slowly sat up only to find Alyssa sitting at the foot of her bed, grinning. "Rumor is you had the time of your life last night," she said, still smiling.

"Are you seriously giving me the sister interrogation right now?" Kara asked with a raspy voice.

"Yes! Why didn't you invite me? I wanted to go" Alyssa laughed.

Kara rubbed her temples in pain. "Feel lucky that you didn't go. It was horrible."

"Fine. I guess you pass the interrogation." Alyssa chuckled and handed her some ibuprofen, water, and saltine crackers.

"Thanks," Kara said, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Oh, so you do know how to thank someone. We were all wondering," Alyssa said.

"What are you talking about?" Kara asked.

"Logan told me everything. Michael saved you, and instead of thanking him, you insulted him. That isn't polite." A stern tone replaced her playful one.

The events of the previous night returned, and Kara frowned, realizing her sister was right. "I'm a jerk."

Alyssa smiled, but before she could respond, Logan entered. "How are you doing, beautiful?" he asked.

"Better," Kara said. She chomped on a cracker, trying to forget the whole incident and hoping everyone else would forget it too.

"Remember the conversation we had on the beach?" Logan asked.

The worried and confused look on Alyssa's face made Kara giggle at her jealousy. However, it quickly passed. She knew she was going to get lectured today. "Yes," she said.

"And how are things working out for you?" Logan said with a smirk.

"I don't need your sarcasm today," She said, pulling the blankets over her head.

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

Two whole days passed as Kara struggled to muster the courage to apologize to Michael. Eventually, she was forced to find courage. "Michael wants to see you," Henry said as he popped into her room.

As the rain pounded against the windows, she rehearsed the words she wanted to say to him, but as soon as she stood outside Michael's room, her mind went blank.

She knocked.

"Come in," he replied.

She opened the door and entered. Michael stood in front of the fireplace, drinking a tall glass of scotch on the rocks. As he spoke, he looked into his glass instead of at her. "I called you here because there's something I wanted to say."

However, before he could say it, she interrupted him. "Please, let me go first."

Upon her interruption, Kate sauntered out of his bathroom with a grin on her face, hoping to see Michael chastise her for interrupting him, but he did not. Instead, he looked at her with an intrigued look on his face and motioned for her to continue.

"I'm sorry about the other night. You helped me and I didn't say thank you." Kara took a huge gulp. This was harder than she thought. "So thank you. Really, I mean it."

Michael's facial features became warm with a hint of surprise. Was it rare or common for him to be thanked? He sloshed the scotch around in his glass and cleared his throat. "You're welcome, but you were right. I pushed you to drink and dance with him. So it's partially my fault that it happened at all." He looked up at her with his smoldering eyes.

Kara hadn't expected him to apologize at all, much less with this much emotion. She smiled at him, seeing him in a new light that she didn't quite understand.

Kate, who still stood in the bathroom doorway, glared at Kara. Michael never apologized to anyone, especially his servants. What made Kara so special?

"Well, I called you because Kate and I are going to Immortal tonight, and I want our evening to be perfect. Unfortunately, Kate has an assignment to do. She is a very good servant, and she would not feel right if she went out to have a good time without finishing her work. I would be devastated if I had to go without her though. I assured her that you would do her assignment for her so that she can have some peace of mind while we have our fun tonight. You wouldn't let me down would you?"

Kara's awe at his behavior evaporated. Their touching moment was too good to be true. He only used it to guilt her into doing Kate's work while she had fun.

He stood up and grabbed a folder full of paperwork from his desk. He tossed it to her without warning, and she fumbled as she tried to catch it. A few papers fell out on the floor, but she quickly bent down to pick them up.

"I want you to take this portfolio of one hundred pages and summarize it down to twenty for the meeting tomorrow. I need it on my desk by 5 a.m."

Kara started to open her mouth to protest, but as if sensing the impending argument, Logan appeared in the doorway, silent words forming on his lips. Resisting the urge to sigh or roll her yes, Kara nodded. "Yes, Michael. I will be glad to do that for you... and Kate."

She had to take this opportunity to get closer to Michael and make him trust her. It would be a big jab to her pride, but it got her one step closer to being there for Alyssa. She hugged the folder to her chest and left the room. As she passed Logan, he placed his arm around her shoulders and led her out.

Michael rushed to the door and called out behind them. "Will you not be accompanying us to Immortal tonight, Logan?"

"I'm sorry, but I already have plans," he replied and smiled at Kara.

Michael's face gleaned jealousy "Maybe, and I will find out soon enough."