“You…you love me?”

“I don’t know how else to describe how I feel about you,” he says.

“I don’t either,” I say. “But if you love me, how can you possess me?”

“Better me than someone else.”

I can’t fault his logic there. “Will…will it hurt?”

“I don’t know,” he says.

I start to cry. I can’t believe I finally found love again. I finally got over my broken heart, my guilt, and was ready to start living again just for this to happen.

“I’m so sorry,” he says, wiping the tears away.

I pull Damon into a hug, holding him tightly because I never want to let him go. I don’t know what is about to happen, and I’m terrified. And what about—

“Bella?” I say when I see her run through the door with her grandmother, Mark’s mother.

“Con-Consuela?” I stutter, shocked to see her here.

“Oh, my poor Tamzin,” Consuela says, running over to me. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

“Umm, what do you mean?” I look around the room, the shattered glass, the books on the floor, Damon and Eisheth looking…not exactly human. What must Consuela be thinking?

“Bella told me everything,” Consuela says.

“Umm, not everything, I hope,” I say, looking around Consuela at Bella. Bella just shrugs.

“Yes, everything. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to be cursed.”

“Wait. You are the person who cursed me?” I ask.

“Yes,” she says. “I mean, no. I mean—Oh! This was all a huge misunderstanding.”

“Wait,” I say. “Start at the beginning. What happened? What did you do to me?”

“Oh, mi amor!” Consuela says, but the ground starts shaking so violently, we all fall to the ground. A narrow hole appears and out of it floats a stunningly beautiful woman with long black hair, dressed all in black leather, complete with black leather boots.

“Where is Tamzin Jones?” the woman asks.

“Lilith!” Eisheth whispers to me.

“What?” I ask her. I thought Lilith was just a legend.

I stand up shakily. “Are…are you the Dark Lord?” I ask Lilith.

“No,” Lilith says. “But I come in his stead. “You have caused him a lot of problems.”

“It was not intentional, my lady,” I say, hoping I am addressing her right.

“Lilith,” Damon says, getting up and running to my side. “Stop this. I will deal with Tamzin as I have been charged to do.”

“It’s too late for that,” Lilith says. “The Dark Lord requires payment now.”

“Then take it from me!” Consuela says, also joining me. “I was the one who sent the curse.”

“You?” Lilith says in surprise. I think she was not expecting a kindly-looking grandmother to be the source of so much drama.