Lilianith awoke with a scream caught in her throat, feeling weak. She had never felt this weak before in her entire life. So weak..she felt like her body was weighed down with bricks. For a confused little girl, it was frightening. She tried to push off what was restraining her, only to realize nothing was. Her eyes groggily opened and she glanced about. She was in her bed, and nothing was on her. Yet she felt so weak, why?
She sat up slowly, feeling like she'd just gained a hundred pounds to her tiny body. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Then she remembered what had happened, what her mother did to her...what she gave up for Daddy. She smiled suddenly. Daddy had to be home, because her powers were bound now!
Dashing out of the room, stumbling a few times before she became used to her own weight, she ran into the living room. Her mother sat on the couch, and when she stumbled into the room, her mother looked at her. A coldly amused smile tilted the corners of her lips. "Lilianith. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Where's Daddy?!" She looked eagerly around the room for him.
Juanita scowled. "He did not return. Apparently it does not matter to him that you bound your powers."
Lilianith's child face crumpled into a very sad, pouty expression. "Daddy won't come back?"
"No. But you have your other father. Your real father. Zeph Verlanca, whom you are named after. Wouldn't you like to be with your real father?"
"Dante is my real Daddy." She frowned. "I never met Zeph."
"You will. Come, we will go to him. Perhaps he'll convince Dante to come back?"
Lilianith looked hopeful and eagerly nodded. "Yes, he will bring my Daddy back!"
It wasn't long before they arrived at the mansion that Zeph lived in. It was the largest house Lilianith had ever seen. But it wasn't the house that shocked Lilianith the most. It was the man standing on the steps leading to the house, glaring down viciously at them. Lilianith quivered with fear and firmly planted her feet in the ground, refusing to take another step.
"You need not fear me, child. I am Zeph Verlanca. Your father." Zephs deep voice boomed out, though it seemed he wasn't speaking at all. His lips were barely moving. He turned furious eyes on her mother. "You took too long in bringing the child here. Why is she so aged?"
Despite Zeph's words, Lilianith was petrified. Zeph Verlanca was a huge beast of a man. His skin was a pale reddish brown in tint, and his hair was dark red. His eyes were black, bottomless pits that she thought would suck her in like a black hole. He was muscular, and she thought he must be over ten feet tall from her short height! He had wings, too. Big, black wings that tucked around his form casually. His build was human, it was just everything else that made him out to be a demon. She hadn't a clue what kind, though. And his aura seemed to color the air around him black.
Her mother spoke up, stepping forward towards Zeph with a smile full of secrets and promises. "Darling, I hated being away so long. She was too young to make the travel, though.It must be our combined blood that caused her to age so quickly."
She made to embrace him, but he stepped around her without a glance and moved, gliding really, towards Lilianith. Lilianith of course was frozen in place, and when he kneeled in front of her she jumped as though she had only just realized he was there. "H-hello, sir."
Zeph smiled, showing perfectly white teeth. "Hello, daughter. Call me father."
That seemed to snap her out of her awe, and she blurted out, "Mommy said you'd be able to bring Daddy back!"
"Daddy? Oh you mean that puny weakling your mother tried to hide from me." He waved a hand casually. "He is gone. I am your Daddy now."
Tears welled in her eyes. "I-I want my Daddy. I want Dante."
A dark scowl appeared across Zeph's face and he snarled as he jumped to his feet, stalking over to Juanita. No words were exchanged, but she had a feeling that they were communicating. Zeph looked very, very angry, and Juanita fearful. When Zeph suddenly spread his wings and flew away, Juanita turned her cold gaze on Lilianith.
"This is all your fault! He will no longer accept me because of you!" She raised her arm and backhanded Lilianith hard enough to send the child toppling over. But Lilianith did not cry or even make a sound. She held her check, her lip bloodied, and stared up at her mother with a look of understanding...and pity. Directed towards Juanita. Juanita was furious. "Leave! Go far away from here and never return! You shall never have your powers. You are the demon's spawn, hell's spawn! Vile, evil thing! He does not even want you either. That is how evil you are!" She spat. "Get! And take this bloody hawk as well, for I have no need of reminders for the past!"
She let out a shrill whistle, and a hawk came flying over from a nearby tree. But the hawk did not go to Juanita like Lilianith had so many times seen it do. Instead, it flew to her and landed on her shoulder, protectively. "Killian." Lilianith whispered softly.
She stood on shaky legs, afraid she may cry but trying desperately to be a big girl. To face this thing she once called her mother. No one wanted her, well then no one would have her. Ever. She could feel her heart emptying and for a moment she felt like that knife were pricking her chest again to let the blood of her heart flow out. She knew what her mother was now, knew what her father was, what her Daddy was. None of them wanted her. No one would ever want her. Except poor Killian. Killian who sat on her shoulder, defying Juanita with his glare.
"Don't you ever come back, Lilianith." Juanita turned and raced up the stairs, smiling coldly in satisfaction. Dangling around her neck was a necklace, and on the necklace hung a vile of blood. It's red aura glowing softly in mourning.
Lilianith turned away from her mother, away from her father and his big house, away from her Daddy. Away from life. She chose death, as she walked away, into the forest. She chose to die and become something that would never be hurt again. Cold, emotionless. But she would not become her mother, for her mother was merciless and selfish. Greedy for power. Lilianith would live with none, and be satisfied. But she made a promise to herself that she would one day find Juanita again.
Yes...she would find Juanita again. The three month old five year old wandered into the darkness of the forest, unaware she was being watched...
