Lilith Confession.

"Ms. Lily, um... Ms. Lily."

Lilith opened her eyes.

"Oh, hey."

Sarah came over and sat beside her.

Lilith took her hand. "How are you?"

Sarah shrugged. "Been better, to be honest."

Lilith squeezed her hand. "I understand I'm asking a lot of you."

"Is there... is there any way to stop this?"

"I wish." Lilith looked down at their joined hands. "I so wish none of this had to happen. But sadly, it's a reckoning long in the making."

"Do you truly believe I can keep Mia safe?"

"Yes." Lilith nodded. "I have faith in you. But more importantly, Mia has faith in you."

Sarah swallowed as she scooted closer and rested her head on Lilith's shoulder, closing her eyes. The scent of Lilith's body wash sent her mind drifting back to her mother, and how she would comfort her. "I'm scared."

Lilith put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head before resting her own head gently against Sarah's.

Lilith put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head before resting her own head gently against Sarah's.

“Very understandable. If you wish, I can find…”

Sarah bolted upright. “No! I will protect her.” Then she settled back down and rested her head on Lilith’s shoulder.

“Oh... oh, okay. Never mind, then.”

Sarah interlaced her fingers with Lilith's. "You know, I wanted to die. Wanted to for years. My mom was my rock." She wiped a tear away. "I hated everything about myself, about my life."

She took a shaky breath. "It was a Wednesday, and I was ready. But I couldn't do it. I had to see Mia first... I can't explain it, I just had to see her." She let out a breath, squeezing Lilith's hand. "So I lay there in my bed. I couldn't move, didn't want to move. But I had to see your daughter. At five, I got up, put my shoes on, and made my way to your house."

She smiled. "And there she was, as usual, in the driveway with her chalk, lost in—lost in her whatever. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. I just stood there." She wiped away a tear. "I just stood there, watching her."

She pulled away and looked at Lilith. "She just sat there. And do you know what she did?"

Lilith shook her head.

"She looked at me, and patted the ground. Smiled, and offered me a piece of chalk."

Sarah laughed softly through her tears.

"And suddenly I didn't care anymore. I didn't miss my mom." She winced and shook her head. "Shit, that came out wrong." She took a breath. "I miss my mom, but it doesn't hurt anymore, you know. Lily, she asked me to join her and offered me a fucking piece of chalk." A tear rolled down her cheek. "A fucking piece of chalk."

Lilith pulled her into a tight hug.

"That's my Mia. That's my Mia."

Sarah rested her head against Lilith’s shoulder.

They sat in silence for a long moment before Sarah finally broke it.

“Lily, do you believe in miracles?”

Lilith shrugged. “Can’t say that I do.”

“How about the supernatural?”

Lilith stiffened. “Um... why? Why do you ask?”

Sarah shrugged. “It’s just that... it’s just that Mia. She... um... she...” Sarah shook her head. “I really can’t explain it. But from that day on, no matter how bad my life got,no matter how much I missed my mom, those thoughts never returned Never.” She looked down at her hands. “I couldn’t think that way even if I tried now.”

She glanced back at Lilith. “And it’s not just me. She does this shit to everyone.” Sarah shook her head. “It’s not natural, you know.”

Lilith swallowed. “Um, yeah guest not.”

Sarah took a deep breath. “And... um...” She sat up and looked at Lilith. “And then there’s you.”

Lilith gave a nervous laugh. “What? What do you mean?”

“Well, um, like just now, I could feel you tense up when I said supernatural, When you grill, you use your bare hands to move the coals around. Sometimes, when you get emotional, the temperature drops. Like right now, it’s getting colder in here.”

Lilith took a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair. “Um...”

“Lily, what are you?”

Lilith stood and began fidgeting with the yarn around her wrist as she paced.

“Are you an alien? Or something?”

Lilith shook her head and shrugged. “Or something.”

"Or something? What does that mean? Lily, you need to tell me. How bad is it? Are you..." She threw her hands up. "What are you? A ghost, cursed spirit, angel, demon—what?"

Lilith froze. "Um, de... Yes... no... maybe..." She rubbed the back of her neck and chewed on her fingernail. "I don't know. It's complicated."

"Lily, please." Sarah stood and faced her. "You're asking me to go on the run and protect Mia from what? The mob? A cult? Ghosts? Demons? What?"

Lilith sat down in her chair and rested her elbows on her knees, trying to stop the shaking. She stared at the floor. "I'm... um..."

She looked up at Sarah and swallowed, then closed her eyes. "Oh, God, please. I—I can't."

"Lily! Tell me!"

"I'm... fuck." She sat there shaking. "I'm... I'm... fuck... I'm Lilith Morningstar. The Firstborn of Lucifer." Her voice broke as she reached for Sarah's hand. "Please... please. I'm sorry. I know..."

Sarah pulled away and stumbled backward. "You're... you're..." She scrambled to her feet and ran to Mia's room.

"Sarah, please."

Lilith buried her face in her hands and sobbed. "Sarah, please."

Sarah ran into Mia's room and shut the door behind her and leaned against it.

"Mia, love, we need to go. We need to leave now."

Mia sat on the floor, humming to herself as she worked on her drawing. She didn't bother to look up.

"Mia, we—"

"I need help. I can't find the blue." Mia shuffled through her box of colored pencils. She patted the floor next to her. "Sit. I need your help."

"Mia, please, I need to get you out of here."

"It's here somewhere." Mia crawled under her bed, then returned holding a stuffed blue dragon and sat it in her lap before returning to her drawing.

"Mia."

"Hmm." Mia rubbed her cheek, then looked up at Sarah and smiled. "Please sit."

"Mia... um."

Mia patted the ground next to herself again. "Please."

Sarah hesitated, then stepped toward Mia and sat.

Mia smiled and placed the stuffed dragon in Sarah's lap.

Mia smiled and placed the stuffed dragon in Sarah's lap.

"M... Mia, love... we..."

"Do you like dragons, Ms. Sarah?" She reached over and patted the head of the stuffed dragon. "I love them."

"Do you... you... know what your mother is?"

"Of course I do, silly."

"And you're not scared?"

Mia looked at Sarah, confused. "Why would I be scared of her?"

"Because—she's... Mia, who... what are you?"

"What?"

"Um, your mom is a dem... dragon—are you one?"

"Why would I be a dragon?"

"Your mom's one."

Mia shrugged. "Yes. Why would I be?"

Sarah sighed and shook her head. "Are you an angel?"

Mia stuck out her tongue. "No, I don't like them."

"Why?"

"They're mean."

"So, no, then you're just human?"

Mia nodded. "Yay, found my blue. Hehe."

Sarah smiled, then shook it off. "Mia, love, where are your parents?"

"Dead."

"Dead? Um, do you know how they died?"

Mia nodded. "Mommy killed them."

Sarah went numb. "She... she..."

Mia sat back. "All done. What do you think?" She held up her drawing.

"Why, Mia? Why did she... why did she kill..."

Mia smiled. "They hurt me. Wanted to use me to bring more evil into this world." She set her drawing down and picked up another pencil. "Are you scared?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes. Very."

"Of mommy?"

Sarah nodded again.

"Why?"

"She—she said she's the daughter of Lucifer, his... um, Firstborn."

"And that scares you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"She's the daughter of evil."

"And that makes her evil?"

Sarah looked down at the stuffed dragon. "Um... yes?"

Mia moved closer to Sarah and leaned against her, pulling Sarah's arm around herself. She slipped her hand into Sarah's and laced their fingers together.

"Ms. Sarah, do you believe Mommy is evil?" She asked as she walked her fingers up Sarah's arm.

"I... I don't know."

Mia poked the tip of Sarah's nose. "Boop. No, you don't."

Sarah shook her head. "Kid, how do you do this?"

"Do what?"

"Nothing."

Mia giggled and squeezed her.

"Why is she here?"

"Mommy?"

"Yes, your mother—why is she here?"

"She didn't belong. She was lost and in need of a home."

"What? Didn't belong? She said she was…is…the Firstborn of the devil. Why didn't she belong?"

Mia shrugged. "Not all things born of darkness belong in it."

Sarah took a deep breath, pulled away from Mia, and looked her in the eye.

"Mia, love, um... um... your mom..." She closed her eyes and took another breath. "I might have to take you someplace safe, okay? Um... your mom has to do something tonight, and... and she might not come back. Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because... because I don't want to see your heart get broken."

"She's going to come home. There is no need to be sad or scared."

"Mia, Mia, please listen." Sarah wiped away a tear. "Her family are very, very bad people. They're demons.” she swallowed. “I can't believe I just said that. But they want to kill her, Mia. Sorry for being so blunt, but I need you to understand, okay? You need to go in there and give her a hug and tell her you love her."

"She knows I love her, and she'll be home in the morning."

"Mia, love, what I'm trying to say is they—" She wiped away another tear. "—might kill her tonight. I'm sorry for saying it like this. I just need you to be prepared."

Mia shook her head and pulled Sarah into a hug. "They can't kill her."

Sarah pulled back and looked at her. "Huh?"

"I won't allow it."

"What?"

Mia smiled, stood, and held out her hand. "Let's go and see what Mommy is doing."

"Um... um... okay."

Sarah took her hand, and they made their way to the living room.

Lilith was still sitting in the chair, red streaks running down her face, staring at the floor, her knees bouncing. She shot to her feet as they approached, wiping away the tears. A small, hopeful smile crossed her lips.

Mia ran to her and wrapped her arms around her. "Mommy, is it okay if Ms. Sarah takes me to a movie?"

Lilith looked at Sarah, who gave a small nod.

Lilith rubbed Mia's head. "Yes, love. I don't see a problem with that. My card is in my purse."

"Where?"

"In my office, love."

Mia gave Lilith a squeeze before running off toward the office.

Lilith looked down and fidgeted with the yarn. "Hey."

Sarah rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, hey."

"I—"

They spoke in unison.

"No, no, you go first," Lilith said quickly.

Sarah took a step closer. "I... I just want to apologize for running off."

Lilith took a step forward and reached out a hand, only to pull it back. "No, no need for that. Sorry for not telling you sooner. It was wrong of me to ask you to watch over Mia without knowing the truth." She looked away. "You don't have to do this. I'll find another way."

"I gave you my word, Lily. Or Lilith." Sarah smiled. "What should I call you now?"

Lilith smiled and wiped away a tear. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

They both stood there, neither knowing what to say.

Lilith swallowed. "Um, tea?"

"No, thank you."

"Oh, okay." Lilith's gaze drifted toward the hallway.

Sarah followed it. "I think she's taking her time on purpose."

Lilith chuckled. "Yeah, she probably is."

"Lil, that little girl..." Sarah turned back to Lilith. "Knows what she's doing, even though she doesn't know it. Um, if that makes any sense."

Lilith shrugged, then nodded. "Yeah, I get it."

"So you're really a dem... a de..."

Lilith took a breath and stared at the floor before giving a quick nod.

"To be honest, you're not exactly what I expected one to be."

Lilith looked away and shrugged. "Sorry."

Sarah shook her head and let out a small chuckle. She stared at Lilith for a long moment.

Lilith shrank into herself. "What?"

Sarah stepped closer. "Lil, that little girl..." She shook her head. "That little girl's faith in you is absolute."

Lilith took a step back.

"No, it's not faith." Sarah smiled. "It's certainty."

Lilith took another step back. "Wh-what?"

Before Sarah could answer, Mia came bouncing back into the room. "Here you go, Mommy." She handed Lilith the card, then turned to Sarah. "Can we stop and get some ice cream first?"

"Mia, silly, give it to Sarah—she's the one taking you."

Mia smiled and took Sarah's hand. Sarah stepped toward Lilith, put an arm around her, and gave her an awkward hug. "Um, see ya. And I'll take care of her for you."

Lilith gave a small nod. "I know you will... and, um, thanks."

They stood there, not knowing what else to say.

"Let's go, the movie starts in an hour." Mia turned to Lilith. "Bye, mommy, see you in the morning. We're going to make pancakes."

Lilith forced a smile. "Sure thing." She ran her hand through Mia's hair. "Sure thing."

Lilith looked at the clock. "It's two—how long is this movie?"

Mia shrugged and dragged Sarah out the door.

The door clicked shut behind them.

Lilith crashed onto the couch. "That sucked." She shrugged. "Could have been worse. I told her, finally... and she didn't run away or try to drive a stake through my heart." She gave herself a thumbs-up. "That's a plus."