Evil Spark Read Online Free Page B

her and her alone, or just me being a weak and pathetic man who thinks of sex even when their dearest relative could be dead?
    But closeness is important, holding someone is important when you are sad or scared. That's my excuse anyway, for my base man thoughts that left me ashamed, yet horny.
    "Slow down, Faz. You're acting manic, out of control," Kate said, soft, gentle and caring. She looked at me with concern, with understanding. This beautiful woman knows the depth of my feelings for Grandma, that she's all I have, apart from her. She's my family. I love her.
    "Okay, sorry. I know I'm getting crazed but I can't help it. It's Grandma. I'll tear the world to pieces. I'll beat every last—"
    "Hush, hush, it's okay." Kate put a cool hand to my fevered head and stroked my stupid, hacked blond hair like I was a child again.
    I remember when my mother used to soothe me in this way after I woke from bad dreams or was ill and bed-ridden. A hand full of love, an act of giving more powerful than any magic, and I let the hate go, just a little. Shoulders knotted with pain, fury, and despair relaxed a little. Kate brought me back to myself, and I knew I had to act rationally or I'd never find Grandma.
    This was better than sex—okay, it was nice—and what I needed. It also made more sense than us getting naked at that moment. I should have known as much. Kate's the better person. I'm just weak. She can lead me to the pits of hell and I'll look into her eyes and ask if I should jump first.
    "We have to go see Stanley. He'll know what's happened to Grandma. Have they been on their date yet?"
    "What? Oh, yes, they had a great time." Kate stroked my head while she talked and I wanted it to last forever. I wanted to be with her, let her wrap me in her arms and promise everything would be okay. But I couldn't lose Grandma, I just couldn't. She's all that remains of my family and I love her too much.
    "What happened, on the date?"
    "Not now. Think of the good times. Think of Grandma and that we will get her back again."
    "Okay." I close my eyes, I think of my life, of what I am, and what I could have been without the only woman in my life that meant anything to me since a teenager, apart from Kate.
    After my parents were killed when I was fourteen, I moved in with Grandma. She loved me, cared for me, and helped me heal in her own unique way. I was not a fun adolescent for many months, but she showed amazing patience and understanding even though she was grieving terribly, probably more than me—parents aren't meant to live to see their children pass.
    Stoic as only Grandma can be, she soldiered on, and tried to uphold my parents' wishes even though I knew at that young age she had never agreed with their decision—as far as Grandma was concerned we were a family destined for magic.
    My mother and father were both a part of this Hidden world, the same as Grandma, and had been together for longer than Regular human lifespans.
    They weren't like Grandma though, not totally immersed in the world the same as her. Grandma is a full-on witch, well respected and as sweet a lady as you could hope to ever meet.
    My parents were what I guess some would call dabblers. Neither one of them went as deep as Grandma or me. They were on the fringes, made their living through their dark magic, because that's the only magic there is—magic was never meant for humans, so use it and you pay the price with pain and sickness like you wouldn't believe—but they never immersed themselves in it. Magic was never what defined them as people.
    Being parents was what defined them, and we did normal things like other families. We went to the zoo, the circus, they took me to the park, and we did everything else that families did in turn of the century Britain.
    I remember we even went to church once. That did not end well and still makes me laugh to this day. You should have seen the vicar when... Anyway, they tried to be Regular as often as they could, but it never