Chapter 33

Chapter

Thirty-Three

It feels like an eternity since my birthday party. I have to believe that I've somehow veered off path, that my life diverged into the wrong timeline. I'm inhabiting another Tamara's existence instead of my own. If only I could find my way home from this horrible parallel universe.

"Yoo-hoo, Tam-tam," Conrad mocks. He gives a slight whistle. "This way."

I finally make myself look. First, my gaze skates across the floor, looking for blood and bodies. Instead, I find Conrad's boots.

I hold my side as I amble to my feet. It takes everything in me to lift my head. I follow the black slacks up Conrad's legs. He's dressed like the young vampires in a silk shirt. Our eyes meet briefly before I follow the line of his outstretched arm. He holds a gun pointed at the couch.

They're alive.

I exhale in relief to see Paul and Lorelai staring at me. Though they are not bound, they're not moving. Their lips are pressed tightly together. Paul looks like he wants to yell, but he keeps the words inside. The gun holds them in place.

"Don't mind them. I told them if they moved or made a sound, I'd shoot everyone." Conrad grins. His glassy eyes shine like he's high on something. Any lingering doubts I had as to his culpability are forced away. I see the evidence before me. "So good to see you, Tamara. Are you going to introduce me to your new friends?"

I glance between the couch and Conrad before looking up the stairs and behind me. I don't see any vampires. "No need to introduce me to your friends. We already met."

The gun bounces between Paul and Lorelai as if he's trying to decide which one to threaten.

"Hey," I try to get Conrad to listen to me. "What are we doing here? Come on, Conrad. Look at me. It's me. Talk to me. We're family."

His brow furrows, and he lowers the gun a few inches. I don't know if it's drugs or mental illness, but I can get through to him. I know I can. I just need to remind him of what we are to each other.

"Remember when we were little? Those nights on the balcony? Those days breaking the rules in the library? It was you and me against the supernatural world. We always took care of each other." I lift my hand and slowly move toward him. If I can just reach that gun and disarm him, I can end this. "That never changed. You and me. Family."

"Family?" He gives a short, humorless laugh. "Stop being so na?ve. We're not family. We've never been family. Do you know what I remember? Davis shows up at the Turnblads' house, asks to inspect the kid who had a run-in with goblins at the group home before coming to stay with them, drops off a wad of cash, and takes me like a puppy he picked up at the pound. Lady Astrid made it very clear that my only purpose was to take care of you, entertain you. Be Tamara's brother. Go to school with Tamara. Take care of lonely Tamara. Watch out for Tamara. She's gullible and easily manipulated by others. Never tell Tamara. If anything happens to Tamara, you'll find yourself back at the pound. So, because you needed a friend, I got to spend the next decade as your babysitter."

His words hurt. I'm too stunned to speak.

Conrad grits his teeth. "Every time you messed up or got hurt, I was punished, even as an adult."

"You know that is not how it was," I argue.

"Grow up!" he yells, swinging the gun toward me. "Open your eyes, sister."

"Watch it," Paul orders. "Point that over here."

Conrad ignores him. "And do you know what the final straw was? I find out that I'm not even in their will. Anthony was. You are. Uncle Mortimer even gets a piece. The only way I get anything is if all of you are dead, and that's because, legally, I'm next in line. They acted like I was a servant, not their son."

"Please tell me you didn't do this because of money." I recognize his face. I remember the love, but I don't know this man. "I would never have let anything happen to you. I would have given you half the estate. I don't even want it all."

Conrad's eyes turn downward, and his words lose a little of their heat. "They didn't love me. But they did teach me that in this life, it's everyone for themselves."

"I believe you," Lorelai attempts to soothe. "I know firsthand how Davis and Astrid could be. But they're gone now. You don't have to do this. Tamara is not them."

"Shut. Up," he enunciates with points of his gun. "No one is talking to you, birth mother."

I touch my amulet, feeling its comfort. "I'm not saying our parents were perfect. They weren't. No one is. They might not have known how to show it, but they loved us."

Paul tenses and lifts a little in his seat as if waiting for an opening to pounce on Conrad.

"Sit down!" Conrad warns. He points the gun at me before swinging his arm back to threaten Paul. "Or I'll shoot her."

"You can't hurt her," Lorelai says. "She's protected. You never get what you're after. If you leave now, we'll forget you were here. Tamara has already promised you'll be taken care of."

Conrad takes a deep breath, seeming to center himself as he continues to steady the gun on Paul and Lorelai. He talks toward me. "Right. Protected. You know, I kept wondering how on earth you managed to survive all those times. I waited until you and Anthony were high in the closet with his boy toy. There is no way you should have escaped that hallway. Even Costin couldn't escape that hallway."

"And your mother?" I prompt. "Why her? She was already living in her own hell."

He's enjoying this evil villain monologue. I let him talk as it buys time. All I need is for him to make a mistake. The next time he points it at me, I'll charge him. He can't kill me. I hold my rib, trying to ignore the pain. I only hope I'm fast enough.

"Dear old whoring mom. I enjoyed watching her like a little rat in her dirty cage. She played god with my life when I was a baby, so I played god with her. I knew I'd eventually end her when I got bored. I figured two problems, one explosion."

"And the Turnblads sold you," I conclude.

He taps the gun against his temple before re-aiming it at Paul. "You're catching on."

"Oh, Conrad. You hurt so many innocent people," I whisper, shaking my head.

"Supernaturals believe they are so superior. I'll show them humans are the ones to be feared. They underestimate us. They'll never underestimate me again." He smiles. "When you survived all of that and the vampire attack at the motel, I knew no one was that lucky. Elizabeth agreed to handle your death personally. When she told me what happened, I realized that necklace isn't just a story."

"Conrad, I?—"

Conrad swings his arm toward me and aims at my head.

"Tamara!" Paul cries out, leaping in my direction.

Conrad fires the gun.

Bang!

Lorelai screams.

I duck, covering my head. At this range, there is no way it will miss me. I hear the bullet shatter glass behind me.

Paul sweeps me into his protective embrace. His hands move over my body to check for injury. I flinch in pain when he touches my sore rib. "Tamara?"

Conrad laughs and does an excited jump. "Holy shit, it's true!"

I hold my side. Ducking has jarred my ribs and has made the throbbing worse. There is little comfort in knowing the severe pain is not going to kill me.

"Stand up," Conrad orders Lorelai. He motions for her to walk toward me. "Get over there."

Lorelai holds her hand up and moves toward us. I hear her feet shuffling.

Conrad lifts his free hand toward me. "Give me the amulet."

"No," Paul answers for me, putting his hand in front of me to stop any transfer.

"It won't work for you," Lorelai says.

"She's telling the truth. Remember, I told you what our grandfather said," I remind him. "Once I put it on, it bonded to me. It doesn't work for anyone else."

Conrad frowns and gives a big sigh of irritation. He aims the gun at Paul and fires. The loud bang causes me to jump in surprise.

I turn toward Paul in shock. His wide eyes stare at me, and his lips part as if he's trying to speak. Blood pools over his heart, coming from his chest.

"Paul?" I can barely get the word out as I wrap my arms around him. He tries to hug me back, but his arms drop to his sides. His weight pulls me down as I hold on. I feel the wet warmth of his blood against my chest. "Paul!"

We fall to the floor. My rib shoots with pain, but it doesn't matter. I can't let go.

I cradle Paul in my arms, holding him close. I press my hand over his heart, but how can I stop a wound like that?

"Paul, baby, look at me," I urge. "Stay with me. Don't leave me."

His lips move, but whatever he's trying to tell me is lost in an ugly gurgle. Lorelai is by my side, trying to help. I push her hands away as I pull Paul closer. His eyes lock on mine. I feel the moment he stops breathing. The tension drains from his body. His dead eyes continue to stare at me.

For the longest moment, I hold still in shock. I refuse to breathe, willing time to reverse and take this back. But I can't control time any more than I can control fate.

There is no describing the feeling that rolls through me. It's unlike any pain I've ever felt. Every cell in my body feels like it's suffocating. My stomach turns in on itself, and my heart implodes, taking all my faith with it.

I think of Diana all alone now and know it's my fault. Conrad might have fired the weapon, but I brought Paul into my world when I asked for a ride.

"Tamara," Lorelai whispers, stroking my back in what little comfort she can give.

I gather Paul as close as I can, holding tight. Blood smears my hand, transferring to his cheek when I touch his handsome face. His skin is still warm, and I kiss his mouth even as I cry against him.

I shake my head to deny death its meal. I remember it swallowing my family into the inky depths of the mausoleum. And now that great monster is taking Paul.

I scream as loud as I can. The incoherent sound has no word or definition, but everyone knows its meaning.

When I look at my brother, he's watching my grief like he'd watch a play.

"All those times," I manage through my hoarse throat. "I made excuses for you. I told people you had a hard life but were good deep down."

He smirks.

He thinks this is funny? I want to swipe that look from his face.

"But they were right. You're broken. You're…" I sob as I try to breathe. My attention goes back to Paul.

"Let's try this again," Conrad says. "Hand me the amulet, or I shoot Mommy."

"Don't. He'll kill us both anyway," Lorelai says.

Conrad steps forward and pushes the gun to Lorelai's head. Tears stain her cheeks, but she shakes her head in denial, telling me not to listen. Her trembling hand reaches to hold mine.

I don't want to live, not in this parallel world. Immortality is not worth this sacrifice.

"Tick-tock," Conrad prompts. "Necklace or Mommy?"

I reach for my neck, yanking the chain over my head. It tangles in my hair, pulling out the strands. I throw it at him. "Here. Take it. I hope you choke on it!"

"No," Lorelai dives after the amulet and tries to catch it. She misses.

It lands at Conrad's feet. He swoops it up, holding it by the chain so he can examine it. "You should have listened to her. I am going to shoot you both anyway. Thank you for making it so easy."

I don't care if I die. There is nothing left for me.

"To think, all this time…" he says to himself, spreading the chain with his fingers to loop it over his neck.

The amulet gives a little shimmer as it settles around his neck. Conrad breathes heavily in excitement.

Lorelai wraps her arms around me as I continue to hold Paul. She's crying and trembling. I wish I could comfort her. But what can I say? I should have never looked for her. She was safer not knowing me.

Everyone I love turns to ash. I pray that this is the end of Conrad's wrath, that he doesn't know about Diana and leaves the girl alone.

Conrad points the weapon at us. I close my eyes tight. I hear an echo of gunfire. I wait for death.

I take a breath. Then another. I wait for Lorelai's arms to release their hold.

A strange noise comes from Conrad.

I look up from the floor. Blood runs from a bullet wound in his neck.

"How…?" I look around to see who could have shot him.

The amulet gives off an eerie green glow. The new color overtakes the red jewel. The pulsing light surrounds him, emitting a buzz that grows louder and softer with the magic. He drops the gun and grabs his throat. A new wound opens on his neck, and he begins to bleed like he's been bitten by a vampire. Fire erupts around his feet. His mouth opens, and he gurgles as he tries to cry out.

I hold Lorelai's hand as I watch my brother suffer and burn. As the ash of his body begins to fall, the amulet's weight pulls the chain through his neck. His head tumbles to the side and crumbles on the floor.

"Tamara," Lorelai's voice sounds far away. The buzzing grows louder as the green glow dissipates, and the room goes completely dark.