I stood in my bedroom, checking the contents of Lilith's ring one final time. Everything I needed was there - clothes, money, spell materials, and the communication rune from the Lich that I hoped I wouldn't have to use.

A knock at the door made me jump.

"Are you ready, dear?" Lilith's voice carried through the wood.

"Coming." I smoothed down my dress and opened the door.

Lilith and Lucifer waited in the hallway. The sight of them made my chest ache with guilt. These past weeks of their affection and care had only made it harder to maintain the lie. They weren't really my parents. I wasn't really their daughter.

"Remember what we discussed about glamour maintenance," Lucifer said, his stern expression betraying concern.

"And don't hesitate to use the emergency portal stone if needed," Lilith added, adjusting my collar with practiced fingers.

I nodded, unable to meet their eyes. "I'll be fine. It's just two weeks of exploration."

If they knew I was planning to track down what might be their real daughter trapped in my old body... I pushed the thought away. Better to think of them as Lilith and Lucifer now, not Mother and Father. It would make leaving easier.

"We trust your judgment," Lucifer said. "You've proven yourself capable."

Lilith raised her hands, crimson magic swirling between her fingers as she crafted the portal. The air split open, revealing a quiet London alley.

"Be safe, my dear." Lilith pulled me into a quick embrace.

I hugged her back stiffly, guilt churning in my stomach. "I will."

Lucifer squeezed my shoulder, his touch radiating warmth and pride I didn't deserve.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped toward the portal. Two weeks to find answers. Two weeks to discover if the real Lily was out there somewhere, trapped in my old body.

"I'll see you both soon," I managed, forcing a smile.

With a final wave, I stepped through the portal before my resolve could waver. The last thing I saw was their proud faces as the gateway closed behind me, leaving me alone with my deception and determination to uncover the truth.

I stepped out of the portal into the familiar London alley, the crisp autumn air hitting my face. The city's distinctive scent - a mix of exhaust fumes, old brick, and humanity - brought back memories of walking these streets as Liam.

My thoughts drifted to Faith. Was she still checking the apartment, hoping for signs of Liam's return?

The phone I'd bought weeks ago sat in Lilith's ring, untouched since that day. I retrieved it, the sleek device materializing in my palm. Interesting - being stored in the magical space had preserved its battery charge perfectly.

The screen lit up as I unlocked the phone. Within seconds of connecting to the network, the phone erupted with notification after notification. My eyes widened at the flood of missed call alerts.

"What the hell?" I muttered, scrolling through the log.

Most calls were from Faith's number, dozens of them spread across the past two weeks. Several others came from an unknown number, but Faith's name dominated the list.

My stomach clenched. Why would Faith be calling me so desperately? She had no way of knowing I was Liam. We'd only shared a brief conversation or two...

I stared at the call log, unease creeping through me. Something must have happened to prompt this many attempts to reach me. But what could possibly drive Faith to repeatedly call a stranger she only met twice?

The most recent missed call was from only three hours ago.

I stared at the screen, my finger hovering over Faith's number. My heart pounded against my ribs. Faith's combat-ready stance and careful word choices during our last meeting painted a clear picture - she belonged to some organization that necessitated discretion and combat training.

Calling her after weeks of silence would raise red flags. Yet she might have found something about my old body, something worth all these desperate attempts to reach me.

"Screw it." I pressed the call button.

An automated voice chirped through the speaker: "Your account balance is insufficient to make this call. Please top up your account to continue using our services."

"Are you kidding me?" I pulled the phone from my ear, checking the account status. The prepaid plan had expired after a month of inactivity.

I dug through the ring's storage, retrieving the remaining pound notes from my last visit. Fifteen pounds - barely enough for a basic top-up. The rest of my Earth currency had evaporated weeks ago.

Spotting a convenience store across the street, I crossed through the morning traffic. A bell chimed as I entered, the fluorescent lights harsh after hell's warm glow.

"Top-up, please." I slid the fifteen pounds across the counter to the clerk. "Whatever this will get me."

The clerk processed the payment with mechanical efficiency, handing me a receipt with the activation code. I punched the numbers into my phone, watching the balance update.

I stepped out of the shop, the morning chill seeping through my clothes. My fingers trembled slightly as I dialled Faith's number, anticipation and unease warring in my gut.

The phone rang three times before a click signalled the connection.

"Hello?" Faith's voice came through hesitant, guarded.

"Faith? It's Lily."

"Lily!" Her voice brightened for a split second before shifting into a clipped, professional tone. "We need to meet. It's urgent."

I leaned against the shop's brick wall, processing the abrupt change in her demeanour. The contrast between her initial joy and sudden businesslike manner set off warning bells. After dozens of missed calls over weeks, why rush straight to business?

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"What's this about?" I asked, keeping my own voice neutral.

"I can't discuss it over the phone. Will you meet with me?"

I closed my eyes, weighing my options. The meeting could be dangerous - especially if she'd discovered something about my true nature. Yet she might have information about my original body.

"Alright," I said finally. "Did you have somewhere in mind?"

"The café where we met before. Two hours from now."

I glanced at my phone's clock - just past nine in the morning. "I'll be there."

The line went dead without another word.

I stared at the phone's screen, my reflection distorted in its surface. Faith's behaviour felt wrong - the desperate calls followed by cold professionalism. Whatever she wanted to discuss, walking into this meeting blind seemed foolish.

But I needed answers about my original body. And Faith might be my best lead.

I approached the café, my heels clicking against the pavement. Through the window, I spotted Faith sitting at our usual table, dressed in a crisp navy business suit. My enhanced senses immediately picked up on several other patrons scattered throughout the café - their postures too rigid, their attention too focused.

My steps faltered. The morning sun cast long shadows across the entrance, offering one last chance to turn away. But curiosity about my original body overrode my caution. Whatever game Faith was playing, I doubted she knew I was a succubus now.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door. The bell chimed overhead as I walked directly to Faith's table, ignoring the way three "customers" shifted slightly in their seats.

"Faith," I smiled, sliding into the chair across from her. "It's good to see you again."

Faith's fingers tightened around her coffee cup. "Thank you for coming, Lily. I wasn't sure you'd show after all my missed calls."

"Sorry about that. I was... traveling. Phone service was spotty." I gestured to a passing waiter. "Green tea, please."

"Traveling?" Faith's tone remained carefully neutral. "Anywhere interesting?"

"Oh, you know. Here and there." I met her gaze steadily. "But I doubt you called me dozens of times to discuss my vacation. What was so urgent?"

The waiter approached with a single ornate teapot and two empty cups. His hands shook slightly as he poured the steaming liquid, first into Faith's cup, then mine. The aroma of green tea filled the air between us.

"I've been looking into Liam's disappearance," Faith said, watching my reaction closely. "Some... concerning details have come to light."

I raised an eyebrow at Faith. "Why tell me about Liam at all? We only met because I found his spare key."

Faith wrapped her hands around her cup. "You seemed... invested in his disappearance. And given your interest, I thought you'd want to know what we discovered."

The green tea's steam curled between us as I took a sip. The liquid had an odd bite to it - spicier than normal tea.

"The tea has an interesting flavour," I commented, watching Faith take a long drink from her own cup. "Different blend?"

"House specialty," Faith said, her earlier wariness fading. "I'm glad you like it."

The other café patrons had returned to their newspapers and phones, their practiced casualness replaced by genuine disinterest. Whatever test I'd just passed had clearly eased their concerns.

"So," I set down my cup, genuinely curious now. "What exactly did you want to talk about?"

I stirred my tea, watching the ripples spread across its surface. The conversation had drifted into meaningless small talk about London weather and local news for the past ten minutes. Faith kept glancing at her phone, as if waiting for something.

"Let's stop pretending," I said, setting my spoon down with a soft clink. "Why did you really want to meet? What's with all the calls? And don't tell me it was just to share vague concerns about Liam."

Faith's shoulders tensed, then relaxed. "You're very direct."

"And you're very evasive. The armed people watching us earlier have stopped paying attention since I drank the tea. Which, by the way, tastes nothing like regular green tea." I leaned forward. "What was in it?"

"Just tea," Faith said, but her eyes flickered away for a moment.

"Right. And I suppose all these people just happened to be here?"

Faith's lips pressed into a thin line. "We had to be certain about some things."

"Certain about what? You've called me twenty-seven times in the past month. That's not normal behaviour toward someone you barely know."

"You appeared out of nowhere," Faith said. "No records, no history. Then you show up at Liam's apartment after he went missing. We needed to... verify things."

"Verify what exactly?"

Faith took another sip of tea. "That's classified."

"Classified?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I can't discuss that." Faith checked her phone again. "But we've confirmed you're not... what we were concerned about. Though there are still questions about your background."

"My background isn't relevant to Liam's disappearance," I said. "Unless you think I'm somehow involved?"

"Are you?"

I met her gaze steadily. "No. But you know something about what happened to him, don't you?"

Faith's expression remained carefully neutral. "We have some leads we're pursuing. That's all I can say."

"Then why call me here at all?"

"Insurance," Faith said after a long pause. "And verification. Though you've proven... unexpected."

The conversation was going nowhere. Every answer led to more questions, more evasions. Whatever organization Faith worked for, they clearly weren't ready to share their real concerns about either me or whoever was controlling my original body.

I stood from the café table, smoothing my skirt. "Well, this has been... enlightening. But I should go."

"Of course." Faith's professional mask slipped back into place. "Thank you for meeting with me."

Walking away from the café, my image of Faith crumbled further. The woman I thought I knew as Liam had been a carefully constructed façade. Our entire relationship felt hollow now - built on lies and half-truths. Though my heart still ached, the pain felt distant, like watching waves crash against a far-off shore.

The cobblestones clicked beneath my heels as I walked down the street. My enhanced senses picked up footsteps matching my pace about thirty meters behind. The follower maintained their distance with practiced skill, but they couldn't hide from supernatural hearing.

I turned down Oxford Street, letting my pursuer continue their game. Their presence didn't concern me - I had no immediate plans requiring privacy. My more pressing concern was finding accommodation, which meant acquiring funds.

A bitter smile crossed my lips as I window-shopped along the high-end stores. There was really only one quick way to get money in my situation. I'd need to find someone wealthy enough to provide immediate financial support. The thought didn't disturb me like it once would have. Human moral constraints had fallen away like autumn leaves, leaving only practical considerations.

I caught my reflection in a boutique window - elegant, beautiful, deadly. Behind my image, another reflection appeared. Faith's face stared back at me, her expression unreadable as she maintained her careful distance.

The discovery that Faith was my tail should have surprised me more. But somehow, it felt inevitable - another piece of our unravelling story falling into place.

"Lily." Her voice carried across the evening air. "Can we talk?"

I paused, considering my options. This time, there were no obvious watchers - either Faith had come alone, or her colleagues had become significantly better at concealment. My supernatural senses detected nothing beyond the usual urban bustle.

"Somewhere private," she added.

I nodded slowly. "Lead the way."

Faith guided us down a narrow side street, then through a passage between buildings. The alley opened into a small courtyard, hidden from the main road by tall brick walls.

Faith positioned herself between me and the exit. A tactical choice, though ultimately futile if I truly wanted to leave.

"What are you?" The question came out sharp, direct.

I tilted my head, studying her face. The professional mask had cracked, revealing raw emotion underneath. This wasn't the calculated interrogation from the café. This was personal.

"I could ask you the same thing," I replied. "You're not an average person, are you?"

"Stop deflecting." Faith's hand twitched toward her hip - where a weapon would be, if she were carrying one. "You show up at Liam's apartment right after he disappears. Using a key that even I didn't know about."

I remained silent, watching her internal struggle play out across her features.

"You didn't even flinch when drinking the tea we've prepared," she continued. "It rules out some possibilities, but it still doesn't mean you're completely human. You're something else. Something that might know what happened to him."

My lips curved into a slight smile. "And what if I do?"

Faith's eyes narrowed. "Then I need to know. What did you do to Liam?"

The irony of her question struck me. What did I do to Liam? I was Liam. Or had been. But how could I explain that without sounding insane? And more importantly - should I?

A shuffle of feet caught my attention - different from the usual city sounds. The movement carried an unnatural quality, like leather dragging across concrete. My enhanced hearing picked up laboured, raspy breathing from the alley entrance. The scent hit me next - decay and rotting flesh.

Faith's face drained of colour. "Don't move."