Harry's Pov

"Her name is Devin, by the way," my mother whispered as she took the seat across from me. The girl, or Devin as of now, had just finished washing herself off and now held a hand towel in her arms. She didn't speak, just nodded acknowledgment at her name. I nodded also. My head had started to pound again and I could feel my heartbeat in every part of my body.

My stepfather had just been killed and we were all in the kitchen. Not caring about his body, or cleaning up the blood. Or the fact this girl, Devin I reminded myself again, had been the one to kill him and my mum had no intention of calling the cops on her. I glanced at the phone, seeing it had been unplugged.

My attention was drawn back to Devin as she stepped up to stand behind my mother. Her hair looked silky, now melting over her shoulders in a curled manner. I could tell she must've died it at some point because now it went from a deep caramel brown to a vanilla shade of blonde, slightly. It wasn't that blonde.. yet.

"Harry, I want you to know, that I did this for you, you specifically. I got nothing out of it. I promise you that." I looked back at my mother as she spoke, her voice wavering, and tears threatening to spill over. I was tempted to immediately grab her and comfort her, but my attention kept going back to Devin. And I was also too stunned to barely move.

My mother glanced up at Devin, seemingly with a pleading look. But Devin must have brushed her off because she just looked at me, tilting her head slightly to the right. My mum sighed and re-faced me, taking a deep breath. "When you were a baby, and we still lived in Holmes Chapel ((btw sorry for the confusion, at this moment in the story THEY LIVE IN AMERICA, New York to be specific)) our neighbors were.. different."

She took another deep breath. "One was about, seventy five years of age, but the other.. she must've been no older than seventeen." I looked at Devin again, who had started moving around the kitchen in an awed manner. "I was shocked at such a couple. But, they loved you Harry. Both of them," I turned back to my mum, "they babysat you sometimes and bought groceries when I couldn't for both of us, and so, so much more."

What was she even getting at? "But, as I said, they were different. Well.. one of them was. The one who I'd said was seventeen, she had a daughter of her own." My mother looked at Devin, who was now looking back at her. "Who ended up becoming Devin's mother." I looked at Devin now, something behind her eyes showed hurt and regret, but the moment I saw it, it was gone.

"One day, after a few years had passed, you were about seven at the time, they invited us over. And of course I went, but you, you went over to a friends house. Insisting you didn't want to go," I blinked fast, trying to remember any of this. But I couldn't, "and they.. they told me things.. about what Devin's mother was, and what Devin would become when she was of age, and about what the younger one was."

The tears couldn't be stopped now, and my mother let them go freely. "They offered me a deal. Now, that year I'd met your stepfather online. I knew what he was like Harry, everything, how mean and ruthless he could be, how evil and manipulative he could be but, but, I needed the money. For you.." She trailed off and I waited for her, letting her catch her breath and herself. "They offered me a deal I couldn't refuse."

My mother looked at Devin again, another pleading look in her eyes. Devin sighed, stepping up to behind her again and nodding. "I can take it from here." She spoke, finally, her voice as silk as new velvet blankets. Her soft brown eyes fell on me and I felt as if I could melt, but then I remembered what she'd just done.

"My grandparents asked her to make you my life parter. I know that's confusing and you definitely don't know what it means, but, in time, it will be revealed. But that's all you can know of it right now." She waved her hand slightly, then continued on. "They offered her security, money, a good life for you, peace, protection, anything you could've needed that she couldn't give you on her own.. in exchange for one thing."

Now my mum was full on crying, her face buried in her arms, I could hear her muffled 'I'm so sorry Harry, don't hate me''s. But my attention stayed completely on the girl, Devin, as if I were mesmerized. "A drop of your blood. My mom, who'd aged rapidly, had already been pregnant with me. All they needed to do was drop your blood on her stomach and you.. you, were mine. Eternally."

By this time, I was completely shocked, and still. My head was spinning now. And this time, my mum spoke again. "When we moved to America, Devin followed. She had no choice. She was attached to you. Yesterday.. your nineteenth birthday, you became of age for her taking. I was shocked you even came home last night, I figured she would've taken you by now."

When I looked at her for confirmation of this, she was back in the kitchen again, looking over all our family photos. And a few of me as a child. One of which she smiled, tracing her yellow painted fingertips over the bottom. Why was she so happy about one picture?

"You have to go with her, Harry. It was the deal." I looked back at my mother, wanting to scream and protest, and toss my chair at the wall because of what she was saying. But for some reason I felt as if I couldn't. "You're hers, and soon enough she'll be yours. It's how it has to be. It's what life partners our."

Expecting my next words to be something around the lines of 'HELL NO', I was shocked at what actually came out. "What about you?" Okay, so I wasn't as shocked. By I wanted to make sure I didn't have to go with her, but my mouth was protesting against my brain so it seemed.

She shook her hair slightly. "Devin will handle it, her people will handle it. Now, please, excuse me." She frowned, standing up and hugging me lightly before walking out of the room. Her sobs could be heard in the kitchen. And my head was telling me to get up, go to my mum, and tell her I wasn't leaving. But it was like I was glued in my chair.

Then, suddenly, Devin spoke. The picture she'd smiled at now in her arms. "I remember this. I was there. You didn't see me, or know I existed. But I was there." She sighed, seemingly happy. "You're my life partner Harry. But I will not be like my grandmother and force you to come with me." She glanced at me, her lips in a thin line for a moment. "It's your decision."

What?

Notes