“That’s Mikey,” he told Cat who tilted his head inquisitively at the sound of Mikey’s cheery voice. “You’ll no doubt meet him. He’ll like you. He loves all things cute and helpless seeming. Though I don’t really think you’re all that helpless – you do have those fierce claws. But Mikey will pretend those don’t exist. I’d take it as a personal favor if you don’t claw him when you meet him.”

Brian could swear that Cat nodded, but he could just have been bending his head to lick his balls. Neat trick, that.

A long squeal began the next message. Cat held his head between his paws. Brian nodded his head sympathetically.

“I know. Emmett can make my ears hurt, I can just imagine what he would do to ears like yours. He gets excited, let me guess, he heard about....”

“Brian! I just heard through the little old grapevine....”

“Ted told him,” Brian told Cat, who had walked over to him and tried climbing up his leg. Brian told himself the only reason he bent down and scooped the creature up and cuddled him against his chest was to save his slacks from claw marks. “Radio Free Liberty Avenue...next to Debbie, he’s the most reliable source of information around these parts.”

“Oh my Gawd! I can’t believe it! You got a sweet little adorable little...”

Brian looked down at the green eyes looking up at him and had to laugh. He could swear they were rolling up, much as he tended to do when Honeycutt’s enthusiasm go to be too much.

“I agree – but he’s likely to be my best option for cat-sitter so get used to it. It’ll be him or the pitbulls. Still, no need to listen to the rest of this, totally predictable approval of my revealing my heretofore suspected but unconfirmed softer side. Don’t believe in it – it doesn’t exist. You won a home by clawing me – we’re clearly kindred souls.”

Brian clicked ahead to the next message. Despite his penchant for all things modern, he kept the old fashioned answering machine – he liked listening to his messages from the comfort of his Mies Van der Rohe chair, using the remote to fast forward, delete, and repeat at will.

His mother was a delete. Mikey and Honeycutt were usually fast forward, and then there was....

“Hey Bri! I’m running a little late but will definitely make it to Babylon tonight as we planned for Halloween together. Hope you save a dance for me. Love you, gotta run.....”

Justin. Cat climbed a little higher and touched a sheathed paw to Brian’s cheek.

“Yeah. He’s a special friend.” Brian frowned as he absently petted Cat, trying to remember if cat dander was on the list of a million and one things Justin was allergic to. He used to know the list by heart, still remembered all the medicines, but there had never been any reason to worry about pets – the old Brian hadn’t been interested in having one. It was a non-issue.

He shrugged–time enough to talk about it later.

“Come on, let’s get you settled someplace less susceptible to your claws than here before I head out for the night.”

Cat meowed his objections but when Brian left for Babylon, he was shut up in the bedroom, the panels closed. Brian figured he couldn’t get into any trouble with the closet closed to keep his shoes safe from sharp teeth and claws and the litter box and food and water bowls placed on a mat borrowed from the bathroom to protect the floor from spills. The bed was too high for him to get onto it – or so Brian assumed. He blocked off the steps with some cartons before heading out and then promptly forgot all about Cat.

Stumbling in some hours later, Justin in his arms, Brian didn’t remember his new acquisition until he tripped over the cartons on his way up the steps, but a quick glance didn’t reveal any sign of the little furball so he decided to introduce Justin to him – and any concern about cat dander later – they had something more important on the agenda.

Alas, no sooner did Justin’s head hit the pillow than he started sneezing. Non-stop.

“Fuck, Brian, what’s....”

Justin jumped out of the bed. He looked accusingly at the pillow, which had black hairs on it. He raised watery blue eyes to Brian.

“Didn’t you at least put fresh sheets on the bed for my visit? Did you have a trick in here before coming out to meet me? Christ, I need Benedryl. What the fuck, something has set off my allergies.”

Brian groaned. He could tell from the look on Justin’s face that Benedryl wasn’t going to do it – this looked like an epi pen if not a trip to the ER. He hoped the pen he kept in the medicine cabinet hadn’t expired. He got up.

“Don’t get your thong in a twist,” he told him, handing him the box of tissues. “No trick, just a black cat – very seasonal, I thought. I thought he wouldn’t be able to get up on the bed. Let me get you some medicine. I should have something left from your last visit.”

By the time Brian told Justin the story of Cat’s rescue, Justin was feeling somewhat better – the epinephrine helping – but the mood was totally destroyed. Holding one of Brian’s handkerchiefs over his nose, he stood by the door.

“I’m sorry Brian but I’ve got to get out of here – I’ve become fond of breathing. Next time I’ll be sure to take my allergy shots – if you still have your houseguest with you, that is.”

“When will I see you? Aren’t you staying the whole weekend?” Brian asked, hating to sound so needy but hating not knowing even more.

“Can’t. I have a show next weekend to get ready for, I was lucky to get down for tonight. Sorry about this but you should have warned me about the cat,” Justin called over his shoulder as he stepped onto the elevator, smiling his sunshine smile despite his puffy eyes and blotchy skin. “Come up to see me in New York!”

“Yeah, sure. In my spare time,” Brian grumbled, letting the door swing closed behind him as he went back inside to the almost empty loft. He went straight to the liquor cart to pour himself some Beam.

“I’m sorry,” a small husky voice said.

“What the fuck,” Brian yelped, almost dropping the bottle as he swung back around. A small boy was curled up on his sofa, his knees drawn up to his chest. He was dressed in pajamas that Brian kept around for Gus and looked to be around Gus’ age, though a little smaller, with black hair and green eyes. There was something about those eyes....

“Who the fuck are you?”

The boy looked hurt. Literally and figuratively, now that Brian walked closer. He had scrapes on his face and a shadow under his left eye that was a shiner. Great, an abused kid in his place – was this one of the gang’s idea of a joke?

“I’m not kidding, tell me your name and who let you in here?” Brian spoke firmly though he tried not to sound too mean. He glanced around, wondering which of his so-called friends had the nerve to hide when he had fully intended to be fucking Justin’s brains out by now. Shit, what if Justin and his evening had gone as planned and this kid had been here?

None of his friends were that insane.

Moving over to the sofa, Brian sat down and asked again, his voice gentler. “Do I know you?”

The boy nodded. “I’m Cat.”

Brian downed his drink in one gulp. He went to pour more but decided that having more to drink was probably a mistake. He shook his head then closed his eyes. When he opened them, Cat was still there. And still a boy. A boy with black hair and bright green eyes.

Okay then. Brian took a deep breath. “Care to tell me how you got here?”

The boy laughed as though Brian told a very funny joke. “You brought me here, silly.”

“Right. Silly me.” Brian rubbed his hand over his face. He was really very tired. It was late. Best to deal with this in the morning.

“Do you need anything?” he asked the boy, who was looking far too alert for this time of night.

“I’m hungry.”

“Of course you are,” Brian sighed. “Okay, let’s see what there is to eat.”

After making them both scrambled eggs and bacon, which he’d gotten in expecting a hungry Justin in the morning, Brian settled the boy down on the sofa with blankets and pillows, much as he did Gus, after some arguing over teeth brushing and bathing – Cat didn’t like taking a bath but then neither did Gus and he wasn’t part cat Brian mused – and eventually Brian fell into a deep sleep.

He would have to take the boy to the police or social services or somewhere in the morning.

Debbie. Debbie would know what to do. Get the boy’s name out of him at the very least. Someone must have left him here while Brian was out. That was the only explanation.

But where was the real cat, was the last thought that drifted through Brian’s mind before he fell asleep.
 

**********
 

When morning came, there was no sign of the boy. Just a small black cat – or rather, a medium sized kitten – playing on the treadmill. If it weren’t for the child sized pajamas lying on the floor, Brian would have been sure he’d dreamed the whole episode. He held the kitten up and examined it from all angles but saw nothing unusual about it – nothing other than the scrapes and injuries from the prior day’s battle with the bullies. The boy had similar injuries.

The next day being Saturday – and unexpectedly free, Brian decided to keep an eye on Cat and see if there were any strange signs that he was anything other than an ordinary animal. He worked on his laptop, but found himself stopping often to play with his new companion, who was especially creative at getting his attention. Cynthia had included some toys in the bag so Brian and Cat experimented with them – finding the cage like balls with bells inside them especially entertaining when tossed in the air. Eventually he went back to work, Cat curled up on his lap.

Brian found one reason after another to hang around the loft when his friends called to suggest plans, or emails and texts came from tricks looking to hook up. It wasn’t until dusk that he realized he was waiting to see if Cat would once again transform into a small boy – and a good while after midnight before he was ready to concede that just maybe he had drunk a bit more than he’d remembered the night before.

And that’s how he left it. For a year.
 

*********
 

Liberty Avenue, October 30, 2010

“Brian! Brian Kinney! A moment of your time please!”

Brian turned around – and immediately wished he hadn’t. Mysterious Marilyn. He debated whether he could get away with just ignoring her and continue to his car. But then he remembered the last time he’d ignored MM. The last thing he wanted was any delays on the way to the airport when he had a plane to NYC to catch. He was going to spend Halloween with Justin and nothing was going to ruin their plans this year. With a glance at his watch, he decided it wouldn’t hurt to spare the probably fake but eerily sometimes coincidentally right at times so-called psychic.

Wouldn’t hurt his tires, that was.

Pasting a smile on his face, he greeted Marilyn. “Always a pleasure, Marilyn. You’re looking...festive.”

Marilyn smirked. “Spare my blushes, Brian. I am well aware of your views of my appearance – though I appreciate your effort to be more tactful than in our past encounters. I will not keep you long, but it is urgent that I speak with you. You must not leave Cat with Emmett this weekend.”

Brian frowned. “You know about....” The psychic raised a penciled brow and Brian huffed out a laugh. Of course she knew about Cat. But then his frown returned. He looked around the street and ruled out going into the diner. He needed somewhere....

“The tea shop on the corner will be private; I do readings in the back. No one will bother us there. We can discuss that strange experience you had last year that you’ve tried to push out of your mind. It wasn’t a dream.”

Brian grabbed Marilyn by the arm and walked her briskly across the street to the place she’d pointed out to him.

“Oo, such a forceful man,” she said dryly but otherwise made no comment until they were seated at her regular booth.

Sending the long-skirted proprietor away with a glare, Brian sat back with his arms folded over his chest. “Okay, spill. What do you know about my cat?”

“Your ‘Cat’ is no ordinary creature,” Marilyn said. “He is a ....”

“No.”

“I haven’t even told you yet,” Marilyn objected to Brian’s objection.

“And you won’t. My Cat is a cat. End of story.” Brian started to get up.

“Then tell me, where did the small boy come from? And even more strangely, where did he go the next morning?” Marilyn spoke quietly, her voice pitched low, for Brian’s ears only. Even so, he looked around nervously before sitting down.

“What do you know about the boy?”

“I know that you really saw him, even though you’ve tried for a year to convince yourself that he didn’t exist, that he was a figment of your alcohol fueled imagination – though that doesn’t really explain the pajamas, does it?”

“How the fuck could you know that?” Brian exploded. He got to his feet again. “What you’re telling me leads me to believe that you must have been playing a prank on me last year, Marilyn, and all this is simply part two of the same scam. Very funny, but I’m done with being made a fool of and....”

“It’s no prank; he’s a sorcerer’s familiar,” Marilyn said earnestly, daring to grab Brian’s arm. “Intended for a very powerful sorcerer. He’s destined to appear three times – third time’s the charm, if all goes well.”

“What happens after the third time?” Brian asked, curious despite his natural skepticism. “And what is needed for all to go well?”

“He must spend all three ‘changes’ with the same person – the person who was with him for his first Halloween, at midnight, which is when the change occurs.” Marilyn frowned. “Or is it sundown? You know, I’m not quite sure.” She shook back her long hair, making her dangling earrings chime.

“Or....?” Brian felt stupid asking but was unable to resist uttering the single word to encourage Marilyn to go on with her fantastic tale. Her dark eyes gleamed as she leaned forward.

“If the spell is not completed, Cat will be trapped forever as a cat – but the equally important question to ask is, what happens if you complete the spell, and spend each of these Halloweens with Cat, just this one and next year – do you have any idea what the prize will be?”

Brian wanted to scoff, to make some flippant remark but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. His eyes met Marilyn’s as the tall mystical woman whispered, “You will win for yourself a soulmate, blessed by the heavens and earth, and the strongest Wiccan magik.”

“Huh,” Brian said, not all that impressed. “A soulmate who will be in elementary school when the spell ends in two years? I think I’ll pass.” With that, Brian got up for real, tossing down a twenty to cover their coffee. Marilyn tried to get him to stop, to let her explain more but he just smiled and waved off her further comments as he strode away.

“Send me a text message,” he told her as he headed out the door.

Trouble was, Brian found, as much as he tried to put Marilyn’s crazy story out of his head, he couldn’t. He was standing in line at the airport, holding his shoes and belt, waiting his turn to go through the security checkpoint, when he couldn’t help giving in to the urge to call Emmett.

Just to make sure everything was okay...normal...with Cat.

“Brian! I’m so glad you called! I’m so sorry but I can’t find your sweet little cat anywhere! He dashed out of the carrier when I opened it at my apartment and ran right out the door, which I hadn’t had the chance to close yet and....”

Brian listened as Emmett rambled on describing his and Ted’s efforts to find the cat – they’d recruited a good dozen of Emmett’s friends but no one had seen the small furball. Brian glanced nervously at his watch. It was just seven o’clock. He was due to get on the plane in a few minutes. He was expected to meet up with Justin by ten o’clock so they could spend Halloween together in the Big Apple and make up for last year.

Still...Cat was his pet. And he kind of hated the idea of the poor creature being lost somewhere on Liberty Avenue; totally aside from Marilyn’s crazy story, there were a lot of nuts out on Halloween and it wasn’t responsible of him to leave it to Honeycutt and Schmidt, not to mention a bunch of strangers, to find his pet.

That’s what he told himself. To Justin, he took the cowardly way out and sent a text message.

“Start without me, I’ll get up there as soon as possible. Something’s come up.”

Brian took a cab back to Tremont, figuring he’d dump his luggage and change before heading over toward Emmett’s neighborhood to start his search. But no sooner did he turn around from paying the cabbie than his attention was caught by a scruffy teenager lounging in the shadows near the entrance to his building. There was something familiar looking about the boy, who looked to be in his early teens, his long black hair hanging down in his face almost obscuring the bright green eyes that watched Brian closely.

Brian’s breath caught, and he dropped his overnight bag in his surprise. The boy darted forward and picked it up before Brian could bend down to retrieve it.

“Hi, Brian,” the boy said shyly, his voice still husky, though cracking a bit, as voices tended to do when a boy was fourteen or so – even the voices of Cat-boys, Brian surmised. He took Cat by the arm and hustled him inside quickly before anyone could see him.

“Who are you?” he asked, once they got inside the loft. He was careful to lock the door behind them. He also remembered to send a quick text off to Emmett, telling him that his Cat had been found, and thanked him for his help but assured him that he wasn’t needed any more that night.

The last thing he wanted was to explain this to Honeycutt.

“I’m your Cat,” the boy said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. “You got here just in time. Cut it close though. Scared me out of a life or two, I think. Do you have any food? I’m starved.”

Cat wandered over toward the refrigerator and opened it. He looked over his shoulder and gave Brian a bright grin. “Thumbs are awesome – been wanting to open this on my own all year!”

Brian couldn’t help returning the grin, for all that he was far from accepting that this was really happening and wasn’t really just an elaborate joke by Marilyn and his friends. Tongue pressed firmly against his cheek, he asked, “What? The can opener isn’t the appliance that’s first on your to do list?”

Cat laughed. “I totally can live without any canned food tonight. But ice cream! It looks so good when you have it and you only give me tiny tastes! May I?”

Brian started to nod his consent but then considered the boy’s thin frame. Ice cream would be fine for dessert but the kid really could use a decent meal from the looks of him.

“How about some Thai first? You always seem to ... listen to me. I’m beginning to buy into this whole idea that you’re my Cat. Who the fuck are you?”

The boy blinked, then raised his eyebrows, and answered, seemingly calmly, though his grip tightened on the refrigerator door, which he still held open.

“I’m your Cat. Ask me something only your cat would know and I’ll prove it to you.”

Brian frowned. This was insane, but still...

“Fine. Tell me, what did my cat, ‘you’ if you prefer, do last night that really pissed me off.”

The boy looked startled for a moment, then grinned. “Ah, a trick question. Very clever. You’re figuring that a scam artist would try guessing something that a regular cat would be likely to do, which would be a worthwhile risk, since he’d have a good chance of being right, there being a finite number of things that a cat can do to really piss someone off and a good scam artist can read people. And someone who would run a scam like this would likely know a lot about your habits. And also, someone wouldn’t ask a question like that unless he thought he knew the answer. But while you might have seemed a little annoyed when I spilled your drink on your papers last night, you weren’t really that mad at me – you cuddled me afterward and let me sleep on the bed, and when you’re really pissed you condemn me to the lower level.”

Brian kept his face expressionless, or tried to – Cat seemed to read something in his face despite his best effort, because the teenager crowed his glee.

“No! You weren’t making a trick question! That was your question? You could have done better than that! Cynthia would have been able to tell someone about that, remember? She was on the phone with you when you were cursing at me! You should have asked if you masturbated in the shower or out or....”

“That’s enough out of you,” Brian told him, unable to keep the slight blush from rising on his high cheekbones. Who would have thought his green-eyed cat who seemed to watch him with such interest when he was in the shower really was watching him?

Cat realized Brian was uncomfortable and rushed to reassure him. “It’s not that I’m being weird, Brian,” the boy said earnestly. “It’s just that you’re so beautiful. Like a cat – only better.”

Brian shook his head. He closed his eyes and counted to ten...slowly. When he opened them, the too thin, but eerily beautiful teenage boy, with his wild black hair and large green eyes was still there. He was watching Brian with an expression that was a mix of hope and caution.

“What am I going to do with you?” Brian wondered out loud. “I need to get to New York, and I’m already late. I suppose Mysterious Marilyn is correct and I cannot leave you out of my sight, at least not until after midnight?”

The boy bit his lip. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. Much as I enjoy the whole being a cat thing, I prefer being a person more.”

“Enchanted Cat-boy and all that, right?”

The teen looked down and scuffed his foot; his hands were buried in his pockets. “It sounds kind of stupid when you say it like that.”

Brian realized with a start that the boy was wearing some of Justin’s old clothes that he’d left behind when he moved away – they looked different on this very different looking teen but Cat was close to the same size Justin had been when Brian had met him. His shoulders were a little broader, his hips slimmer, his limbs a bit longer and gangly for his body, but he moved with a kind of grace as he followed Brian into the building.

“It is ‘kind of stupid’,” Brian said, his hand on the boy’s elbow as he urged him along toward the decrepit elevator. Seeing the boy’s crestfallen expression, which he tried to hide under his hair, he felt compelled to add, “But that doesn’t mean you’re stupid.”

A quick shy smile greeted his words, which he knew because he brushed the unruly hair back so he could see it.

“Come on,” Brian said. “We’ll figure something out.
 

*********
 

“Brian! About time you got here! Do you know what time it is? You look great!” Justin came running over as soon as Brian entered the club. It was four in the morning, and quite frankly, the last thing Brian felt like doing was clubbing after driving all the way to New York City with a talkative teenager – almost seven hours of chatter and arguing over the Sirius radio channel choice.

Brian pulled Justin into his arms, kissing him deeply...for all of ten seconds. That sixth sense of his that warned him of trouble made him lift his head before he could get lost in the pleasure of Justin’s welcome, which was gratifyingly warm, considering that he should look like he felt, which wasn’t his best, all things considered.

But at the moment, he had a bratty cat, make that Cat, to retrieve from the arms of a half dressed wanna be stud, who’d pulled the boy out onto the dance floor.

“Damn it, I told him to stay put by the door.”

“Who?” Justin asked, perplexed.

“Uh, my nephew,” Brian said quickly. “I mean, my cousin. Fuck! Be back in a second.”

Brian swore again under his breath as he saw the guy grope Cat and whisper in the kid’s ear, jerking his head toward the back of the club. Cat, looked more curious than frightened – but Brian had no intention that his curiosity get satisfied in the back room of a New York City gay club – though in any other circumstance, Brian would admit that the quality of their backrooms were pretty decent.

Just not for fourteen year olds. Or the magical equivalent of same. He left Justin gaping at him and strode rapidly across the dance floor in order to grab the guy by the shoulder roughly and pull him away from his Cat.

“Hands off,” Brian growled. His low tone and snarl made Cat jump and look around instinctively, before he moved away from the stranger who’d been groping him and into the safety of Brian’s arms. He looked up, and, totally unfazed by Brian’s scowl, now that he realized the growl was from him and not a Rottweiler, and smiled his shy smile.

“This is Mac, he wants to show me another room, it’s in the back,” he confided cheerfully.”

“Bri? Who’s this kid and what is he doing here with you?” Justin stood next to them, and was looking from Cat to Brian, his eyebrows raised to his hairline.

“I’m Brian’s Cat,” the teen answered at the same time as Brian said, “he’s a kid, I told you.”

“Why did you bring a....?”

“Let’s discuss this later, back at your place,” Brian said, a trifle desperately, as he noticed the bouncer he’d bribed to watch Cat talking to a man who looked like a manager.

They got out of the club quickly but trouble reared its head in the cab Brian hailed for the ride back to the apartment Justin shared with another artist. Justin started wheezing before he’d had a chance to ask Brian more than two probing questions about why Brian’s cousin was staying with him and couldn’t be left with anyone else (father was a soldier in Afghanistan, mom was dead, Claire unreliable, Joan too nasty....poor kid had nowhere else....Brian was amazed at how easily the lying came back to him, goes to show it was just like riding a bike).

“What’s wrong?” Brian asked solicitously.

“Do you still have that cat?” Justin asked, his eyes watering.

“Yeah, but these clothes are fresh from the cleaners,” Brian told him. “Nary a cat hair on them. Maybe it’s this cab and you’ll feel better as soon as we get to your place?”

Justin looked at Cat suspiciously. “What about his clothes...wait...are those...they are. Bri, why is he in my stuff?”

Brian now knew how a deer felt when headlights were bearing down on him – he froze.

“I don’t have any of my own,” Cat answered, sounding and looking perfectly pathetic. “You’re right, though, Brian’s Cat sleeps on the clothes in the drawers all the time.”

Justin had been looking sympathetic, but that last comment made him narrow his watery eyes. “All the time? How long have you been staying with Brian?”

“Off and on for a year.” Cat nodded his head fervently. Before Justin could say anything – and Brian was sure there was plenty the blond wanted to say – Cat added mournfully, “That was a short while before my Mom died. She was....” His voice broke. He looked at Brian, who reached out his hand. Cat moved a little closer before finishing, in a softer voice, “she was beaten by some street thugs. The doctor tried saving her but he couldn’t. They put me in a ...place for a while but I ...didn’t like it and ran away. I lived on the street until Brian took me in.” Worn out by his long day...and night...Cat curled up with his head on Brian’s lap and went to sleep.

“Christ,” Justin breathed. He tried to meet Brian’s gaze, but Brian was looking down at the sleeping boy, his hand stroking the tangled curls almost as though he were petting him. It took Justin a couple tries to get his attention.

“Sorry,” Brian said, sheepishly. “It’s been a long day.”

“I guess so, especially if you’ve been raising a teenager. Why didn’t you mention that you’d taken in a runaway? I thought it was something that you’d taken on the responsibility of a cat, for fuck’s sake! But a teenager! You? Do you think you’re the right kind of person to have the care of a growing boy?” Justin grinned.

Brian flushed. “I’m not raising Cat...but it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve had a teenager stay with me when he had nowhere else to go – and you didn’t used to think I was such a terrible person for that responsibility once,” he said stiffly.

It was Justin who bit his lip this time. “I didn’t mean anything by what I said – and I was almost eighteen, not...how old is Cat?”

“It’s not really important, is it?” Brian suddenly realized that there could be a problem if Cat were to gain another seven years the next time Justin met him – if Justin were to ever meet him again.

Bringing him up here was beginning to seem like a really bad idea.

“I’m sorry about the cat hair on the clothes. It didn’t occur to me to check out what he was wearing. And he isn’t with me all the time, hardly ever in fact. But he was with me for a short while a year ago right after I got the kitten, and he needed a place to stay this weekend, while they find some other relatives on his mother’s side to take him in. Least I can do for his dad. I didn’t want him going to some kind of foster home, you’ve heard what those can be like, it’s a crap shoot whether a boy his age gets a good one. I didn’t think you would begrudge him your old clothes.”

“Of course I don’t mind him borrowing them, it’s only the cat hair I mind,” Justin assured him, his increasingly blocked nasal passages making it difficult for him to talk.

“Well, if I don’t get the cat hair away from you, we’ll have to take you to the ER for a shot, so ...” Brian looked regretfully at the blond.

“Not another ruined weekend!” Justin lamented.

“I’ll meet you tomorrow,” Brian promised. “We can stay at a hotel – I left my car at the Marriott before heading over to the club by cab; I’ll just go ahead and I’ll get a hotel room for the weekend, get some sleep and meet up with you for brunch, okay?”

“With your young friend, cousin, whatever. What a funny coincidence that his name is Cat...what’s it short for?” Justin asked.

Brian hesitated only a second before he answered, “Cathmor.”

“That’s unusual,” Justin mused, “Is it Irish?”

“Yes,” Brian answered softly, looking down at the peacefully sleeping Cat. “It means great fighter.”
 

*********
 

Halloween in New York City is unlike Halloween anywhere else. Brian and Justin took Cat down to the Village to see the annual Halloween parade and the boy watched wide-eyed as colorful floats and outrageously costumed walkers passed by. Both he and Justin consumed more food than Brian would have believed possible. They argued over the relative merits of waffle fries and funnel cake but ended up eating both, along with pizza, hot dogs and smoothies.

Brian had coffee.

They were fine as long as they were outdoors, but every time the three of them went inside somewhere, Justin’s allergies acted up. By late afternoon, he gave up, and reluctantly told Brian he was going to have to go to the ER for an allergy shot.

“I’ll take you,” Brian offered. “I feel terrible about this, Justin.”

“It’s okay, Brian, it’s the kind of thing that just happens,” Justin said, trying to be a good sport. He was feeling too miserable to make to much of an effort at it – his head felt like it was swollen to twice its usual side. But, he smiled at Cat, who was looking guilty. “Hey, don’t look like that! We had a great time, didn’t we? Next time I’ll know enough to take some preventative shots.”

“You’re not mad?” Cat asked doubtfully.

“Nah, just need to get this taken care of, before I stop breathing,” Justin told the boy, reaching out as though to ruffle his hair as Brian did, but Cat pulled back – only Brian was allowed that familiarity. He almost hissed but remembered not to just in time.

Brian sighed. “I’ll come back up in another week or so, Justin. I’m really sorry about your allergies. Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you to the ER?”

Justin was looking at Cat strangely. “No, no, that’s fine. You take Cat to see some more sights. The kid should get to see more of the city since he’s here.”

Cat smiled sweetly.

Brian frowned. “No, I think he’s had enough sight-seeing for one day.”

After a few more hugs and kisses – not all that satisfying when one of the participants was unable to breathe through his nose – Brian and Justin headed off in opposite directions. A short while later, Brian was checked out of the hotel and was hustling a sulking Cat into the ‘Vette.

“I don’t see why we have to head back home,” Cat complained. “Justin was okay with us staying.”

“I’m not.” Brian’s tone left no room for discussion.

Cat was quiet for the first couple hours of the drive back to Pittsburgh. He didn’t even play with the radio, leaving it on the classic rock music channel without a murmur of complaint.

Eventually, Brian glanced over at him, half expecting to see tears on the boy’s face, or at least a sulking expression. Instead, he saw that he was avidly watching the scenery pass by. Brian felt some of his anger and disappointment over his cock-blocked weekend fade.

“Hungry?” he asked.

Cat turned toward him happily. “Not especially but it would be fun to stop and see what someplace new looks like.” He looked uncertain. “But only if you want to.”

Brian smiled. “Curious more than hungry, huh? Well, I could stand to stretch my legs so next exit we’ll check out what the local cuisine has to offer.”

He was rewarded with one of Cat’s shy smiles. “Thanks, Brian.”

They found a Thai restaurant fairly close to the exit where they both found something to their liking. After eating their fill, Cat talked Brian into taking a short walk with him, the night being especially fine, and a shame to waste.

“Don’t you want to get home?” Brian asked.

“It’s not the same,” Cat said, peering into the windows of the stores, jumping up onto the bike racks that lined the road, sitting on the benches – basically checking out everything they passed.

“How so?” Brian wondered.

“I’m bigger as a person than as a cat,” Cat said, his tone making it clear what he thought of Brian needing to ask.

Brian almost hit himself in the head – he’d forgotten what Marilyn had told him about Cat changing back at midnight. He glanced at his watch – it was already past ten.

He regretted the hours he’d spent not speaking to the youngster – suddenly he felt like the one who’d been sulking, wasting time just driving back to Pittsburgh when this was the only day Cat had as a person for the whole year.

“Cat, what would you like to do now? If you could do anything?”

“Anything?”

“Sure.”

The boy jumped down from the brick wall he was balancing along – quite well – and ran back to Brian, his face bright.

“I’d love to ride in the car with you some more, really fast with the top down! Can we do that?”

“That’s all you want? What we already did?”

“Yes! It was great! And if we go fast we can be home by the time I change again – I’d kind of like to be back in our bed when that happens, I’d hate for it to happen someplace strange.”

Brian hugged Cat close at that, but only for a moment. He really was a pretty independent creature, for all that he was affectionate, Brian mused. After a quick, tight hug, he rumpled the curly hair and said, “Race you back to the car then...first one back gets to pick the radio station.”

So maybe he let the boy win....though if he’d known he’d pick the Broadway channel, he might have reconsidered that kind impulse. But it did motivate him to drive “really fast” and they arrived back in Pittsburgh in time for Cat to be curled up on the loft bed before midnight.

Brian was determined to watch this year and see for himself exactly what happened at midnight. Part of him still wasn’t quite sure that this wasn’t some elaborate prank being played by his so-called friends – though how they got some kid like Cat involved was beyond his understanding. But a minute before the magic moment, his cell phone rang – with Justin’s ring tone.

Which wouldn’t have been a problem – if he hadn’t left his phone in his jacket pocket, across the back of the sofa.

“Fuck,” he glanced down at the dozing Cat, who was curled up on his duvet, then dashed toward the kitchen, hoping to grab the phone and get back to the bedroom before anything happened.

Except he tripped.

Twice.

Torn, he almost gave up on Justin’s call, especially since he missed it the first time, but then the ringing started up again. Limping, he continued on toward the kitchen, grabbed the phone up and pressed answer before it went into voicemail a second time, noting with a sinking heart that it showed the time as 12:01, November 1. Damn.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?” Brian asked as he turned and walked slowly back up to the bedroom. As he listened to Justin describe his allergy treatment and the cute doctor who had taken him out afterward, he settled down next to his little black cat, curled up on his pillow, sound asleep. Brian reached out his hand to stroke the soft fur absently, causing the sleeping feline to purr, even in his sleep.

After his call ended, Brian looked down and whispered, “Happy Halloween, Cathmor.”
 

*********
 

Kinnetik; Friday before Halloween, 2011

“So, Boss, any big plans for Halloween this year?” Cynthia closed her Ipad with a snap after she and Brian finished reviewing the status of the company’s on-going projects and the upcoming week’s schedule. They made a practice of meeting each Friday to see where they stood and trouble-shoot; it was a good system, they found, for keeping on top of matters. Cynthia kept Brian informed and Brian kept Cynthia on her toes.

Cynthia was Brian’s most trustworthy assistant, and more than that, they were friends. But there were some things you just couldn’t tell even the most trusted friend – especially if they also worked for you, Brian felt, and among those things were if you had a debilitating illness, like cancer, or if you were a couple years into breaking a magical spell, which you hoped to see ended that weekend.

Nope, not a thing to tell...and yet...Brian really wished he could tell someone.

He’d compromised, by telling Cynthia about his cat, over the years, reasoning that since she was the one who stuck him with the troublesome creature, she had to listen to him complain about him. He’d have been mortified if he knew that she considered what he did to be more in the nature of bragging about Cat than actually complaining. But in truth, it was no secret around Kinnetik that the Boss considered his fierce Cat to be the toughest, smartest, coolest cat since Puss 'n Boots. Antonio Banderas would have been a good choice to play his Cat in the movies too – if he weren’t too old, that is.

Still, Brian thought he was keeping most of his stories about Cat to himself. Until he caught the barely repressed grin on his Girl Friday’s face.

“What?”

“Nothing, Boss...except you do realize that you’ve just spent the last ten minutes giving me excuses why you’re not wasting time going to Babylon to get hit on by hot tricks, nor heading up to New York City to see your own former boyfriend for the holiday, and instead you’re going to spend a quiet weekend at home with your cat!” The pretty blonde woman chuckled. “Of course, if I’d realized he’d be such a cock-blocker as he turned out to be the last two Halloweens, I never would have sent him home with you – I would have given him to Ted – it isn’t like it would have made any difference in his life.”

Brian laughed as she intended, but he couldn’t help wincing inwardly at the thought of poor Cat being stuck with Theodore. He was fond of Cat – in both his forms – though he was eager to discover what he looked like in his adult form. Marilyn and he had talked again after last Halloween and she’d assured him that once they made it through this Halloween, Cat would no longer be trapped in the cat form all year and he would age normally, which was a relief. Aging as a cat would soon become a problem, Brian thought, seeing as they aged much more rapidly than humans. But she wasn’t sure that he would lose all of his feline traits, or even if he would lose the ability to transform into a cat.

Brian found himself talking to Cat about it over the course of the year, now that he realized that the cat understood him. He also left a laptop open and Cat whiled away the hours in the Loft browsing the Internet. Brian had no idea how he’d learned to read, but he somehow seemed to know, Brian sensed; based on the history on the browser – he wasn’t just checking out kitty porn.

What he didn’t sense, was his friends’ growing concern over what they considered to be his increasing distance from them, or as Michael called it, his isolation. Brian went to work, he entertained clients, and then, more often than not, he went home.

To his Cat.
 

*********
 

“It’s not healthy,” Michael insisted, for what seemed like the tenth time. He waved a french fry around for emphasis. Ted and Emmett nodded, though neither was really thinking about what he’d been saying – Ted was wondering if he was going to eat the rest of his fries and Emmett was wondering if he would get mad if he slipped away now, before all the best sale items were gone from the pre-Halloween super-sale at the Big Q.

Ben was the only one listening, Emmett thought guiltily. It was like it was in his wedding vows, to love, honor and listen, no matter how repetitive or stupid your partner was being.

Now that was love, Emmett decided, allowing his guilt to be assuaged by his romantic heart. Ben’s love was so true, it made allowances for Michael’s little annoying ways, like his tendency to go all drama queen, and his obsession over Brian. How sweet was that?

Em would be the first to admit that his ability to get lost in his own thoughts got him in more trouble than not thinking ever did. So it was that when Michael asked, “You’ll help me, won’t you, Em?”

Emmett naturally was filled with his thoughts of sweet Ben and answered, “Of course.”

It wasn’t until he saw the worried looks on Ben and Ted’s faces that he realized he probably should have first found out what he was agreeing to do before he agreed to do it.

Instead, he found himself, an hour later, letting Michael into Brian’s loft with the key he had been entrusted with as Cat’s primary cat-sitter, in order to “borrow” Cat for a few hours.

Cat came right over to him – trustingly.

Michael dropped a large box over him and somehow got him scooped up into it and the lid folded down and fastened before either Emmett or Cat quite realized what was happening.

As Cat meowed loudly and was clawing fiercely, if impotently, at the box, which Michael struggled to hold.

“A hand would be nice,” he huffed to Emmett, “and grab that duct tape from my bag so we can tape the lid down securely.”

Emmett gaped at him. “You’re stealing Brian’s Cat?”

“We’re not stealing him,” Michael corrected him, rolling his eyes. “I explained it all to you at the Diner. “We’re just going to borrow him for a couple of days, so Brian won’t hide away in his Loft like some crazy cat lady, and will get out and party on Halloween. Maybe go visit Justin without taking his cat along.”

“Wasn’t it some kid named Cat he took along last year, not his actual cat?” Emmett said, twisting his hands nervously around the roll of duct tape. “Are you sure this is a good idea. Brian’s going to be as mad as that little guy sounds. Maybe we should let him out.”

Cat was screeching loudly enough to be heard three floors down. Michael looked at the box nervously. It was shaking from the force of the struggling cat.

“Quick, tape it closed. Did you ever see the mark on Brian’s arm from the scratch this ‘little guy’ gave him? He had cat scratch fever for a couple days after he got him – was rambling on and on about some dream he had. I don’t want to risk getting something from it, not this weekend. That’s another reason why....” Michael pressed his lips together. The noise from the box stopped as Emmett asked worriedly,

“Michael, what else do you have planned in that devious little mind of yours? Taking Cat someplace and hiding him is bad enough, don’t tell me there’s more!”

Michael looked sullen. “Do you want me to tell you or not tell you?”

Emmett wasn’t sure. What he was sure was that anything Michael had planned was a bad idea.

“Let’s just let the Cat out of the bag, or box, and leave, quietly,” he begged.

“I would hope I’m a better friend to Brian than that!” Michael insisted. He grabbed the duct tape from Emmett and started taping the box haphazardly. “Come on, we’re taking this not so little guy to the vet. It’s really a disgrace that Brian has had this cat for two years now and never got him neutered. He’s at least three years old, Ma says – that’s twenty-one in cat years, you know. And Brian lets him wander around at night when he’s out catting around himself.”

Emmett couldn’t help pointing out, “But it would be hypocritical of Brian to neuter the cat then, wouldn’t it?”

Michael glared and hoisted the now duct-taped box, from within which renewed sounds of struggles to get out could be heard.

“Come on, Emmett – I made the appointment already. This is one tomcat that has prowled for its last Halloween.”

Emmett was confused. If Michael was unhappy that Brian wasn’t prowling anymore, but instead staying home with his cat, why was he so determined to stop the cat from prowling? And wasn’t it Brian’s decision whether or not to neuter his cat? This seemed like a really bad idea.

While Michael loaded the loudly complaining Cat into the back of his car, Emmett texted Mysterious Marilyn for advice.
 

*********

Brian burst into the vet’s office looking like an avenging angel – minus the flaming sword.

“Where. Is. My. Cat?” He growled the words at the two disconsolate men sitting on the plastic seats, a bedraggled box by their feet. Emmett glanced at Michael, who kept his head down. Squaring his shoulders, he stood up to face Brian’s wrath.

“He escaped,” Emmett told him, his voice only slightly squeaking.

“What the fuck was going through your head, Honeycutt?” Brian restrained himself from shaking the other man, but it was a close call. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Mikey; he knew who’d been the mastermind behind this plot and it made him sick. Sure, Mikey had no idea what he’d almost done but did it matter? It still was his best friend interfering in Brian’s life in an outrageously invasive way.

He’d deal with that issue later. What mattered now was finding Cat.

“Where was he when he got free and which way did he go? Was he hurt?”

Quickly, Em told him all he knew. The vet’s technician had tried putting Cat on the table; he’d feigned docility long enough for the door to be left open and made a break for it. He led them on a merry chase around the office before getting out when a new customer with a German Shepherd came in. He’d leapt onto the dog’s back and in the ensuing commotion, got clean away.

“Almost,” Michael whispered.

“What do you mean, almost?” Brian’s voice was dangerously low.

“There was the car.”

Emmett winced. He hadn’t thought to tell Brian about that – after all, they hadn’t found any evidence of actual harm....

“What car?”

Brian’s voice got even lower and more threatening.

Michael looked up finally and his gaze met Brian’s. He caught his breath. He hadn’t seen that look in Brian’s eyes for, well, for about ten years. Brian looked like he’d been kicked in the nuts, or worse, but hadn’t quite realized it yet. That moment before severe pain hits.

“I’m sorry, Brian...I didn’t realize...didn’t know.”

“You never do, do you, until it’s too late.”

“We’ll help you find him,” Emmett told him, wanting to help.

Brian shook his head. “It has to be me, only me.”
 

*********
 

Brian walked through the neighborhood where the vet’s office was located, calling for Cat, his voice growing hoarse. He watched the sun begin to drop in the sky and his heart dropped with it – he had to find Cat before sundown on the 30th. At least, he thought he had until Sunday evening, Marilyn had cautioned him when she called to warn him of where Michael had taken Cat, that there was a small chance that the transformation could take place a day early due to Sunday being something of a wild card in magical spells.

“I wouldn’t take a chance, Brian,” the psychic had said, shrugging her shoulders – at least, Brian could swear he could hear her shrugging her shoulders over the phone signal – “I would make every effort to be with Cat when the sun goes down today.”

“Today? Why not tomorrow?”

“I am not sure. It will no doubt come to me if I meditate on it. But all I feel sure of is that you must find Cat today, before the sun sets.”

Which of course was proving to be fucking impossible. Where would Cat go if he’d been hurt, frightened, alone?

Home. Cat would find his way home, somehow. Brian cursed his stupidity for not realizing it sooner. He glanced at his watch and then ran, full out, back to his ‘Vette. He had only a few minutes to try to get back to his loft.

He’d never make it. He leapt over the driver’s side door and into the seat in one smooth move and had the key in the ignition and the motor on in a second. The car turned over and was soon gliding down the road, purring like a baby.

He went as fast as he dared but as the sun crept ever lower toward the horizon, he threw caution to the wind and let the speedometer creep over ninety. Which was a mistake he soon regretted as a siren soon told him. Glancing in his mirror, he saw the familiar sight of a police car. Biting back a curse, he pulled over.

“Fuck, I hope Marilyn was wrong about tonight,” he muttered as he pulled his information out of the glove compartment and waited for the police officer, a neutral expression pasted on his face.

“Can I help you, officer?” he asked as soon as the police officer drew even with his window.

“What’s the emergency?” The officer was young and good looking.

Brian tried the truth...at least, a partial truth.

“A friend was hit by a car; I need to see if he’s okay.”

The officer leaned down and looked in the small back seat of the ‘Vette.

“That him? He does look a little battered. Where was he hit? Must have been out jogging, huh? You want an escort to the ER?”

Shocked but trying to hide it, Brian turned – and saw the most beautiful man he’d ever seen lying, well, trying to lie as much as a grown man could, in the back of the ‘Vette. All he had on were a pair of shorts that he must have pulled from Brian’s work-out bag. His torso was bruised and scraped, but other than that was perfectly formed, tapering from broad, muscular shoulders down to slim hips, with a lovely expanse of toned, muscular abs in-between. Long, lean muscular legs were curled up beneath him and toned arms were curled behind his head. Dark green eyes met Brian’s hazel ones – and Brian snapped out of his bemused contemplation of his Cat’s beautiful form.

“Yes, yes, this is my friend, Cat. He was hit by a car over near Bellmont Veterinary Hospital – a hit and run. He was dazed and didn’t get the name or number of the car. Can you help me get him to the hospital?”

“No!”

The officer and Brian both looked in surprise at Cat, who was struggling to sit up. He still seemed a bit dazed.

“No doctors, no hospital, please.” His voice was hoarse, barely audible. Brian realized that he must have been doing the equivalent of screaming himself hoarse when Mikey abducted him and he felt his gut clench in empathy. He turned to the officer and used his charm.

“My friend knows his own body pretty well.” Brian’s gaydar was telling him that the officer was going to know it pretty well too by the time he was done scrutinizing it. “Could I prevail upon you to escort us to the hospital but leave it to me to talk him into actually going in and getting treatment once we get there while you try to hunt down the person who hit him? I will give you a statement tomorrow – promise – Officer, uh, Tom.”

The full force of Brian’s best smile was enough to win the cooperation of Officer Tom, and soon Cat was resting in the front seat and Brian and he were speeding down the road at top speed with the police car clearing the way for them.

It was the work of only a few minutes to dump the sweet officer at the hospital with completely spurious offers of cooperation the next day, and a less spurious promise to look him up at Babylon the next night.

Brian took Cat home to the loft.

“Let me check out your ribs – fuck, what happened?” Brian asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

“No, first,” Cat walked over to Brian and wrapped his arms around him tightly. He leaned up in order to bring his lips to Brian’s and kissed him. Brian felt the warmth of the kiss, the strength of the arms around him – and almost got caught up in it.

Hurt green eyes looked back at him as he pulled away.

“Why did you stop?” Cat asked.

“Why are you kissing me?” Brian countered, moving a step back, though he kept his arms loosely around the handsome young man. It was going to take him some time to wrap his mind around the fact that this exotically beautiful creature was the fun young teen from a year ago, and also the charmingly sweet boy from the year before that.

Who would he be in another year? Or five? This magical cat/man, who’d been created to be the companion of a sorcerer but whose life took a left turn – or was it a right one?

Cat pulled away and walked gracefully over to the sofa. He sat on it – jumped up onto it really. He winced as his bruised ribs hit the cushions and Brian cursed himself for not attending to the younger man’s injuries.

“Let me get something for those cuts and bruises. I hope it’s safe to get you a painkiller.”

Cat rolled his eyes. “When I’m in this form, I can take anything safe for a man. Want to see me eat chocolate?”

“I’ve seen you eat chocolate,” Brian reminded him. “Massive quantities of it. Halloween, remember?”

Cat laughed. His voice was still hoarse but he was getting it back quickly. Stealing another glance at that incredible body – though Brian also decided some clothes would be in order, after a shower – Brian was glad that Mikey’s horrific plan to neuter the man did not succeed.

He wondered if Cat would want to talk about it? He smiled faintly, the Cat of a year ago certainly would. He called over his shoulder, “How about a shower and then I’ll bandage those....”

A low voice sounded in his ear, “A shower sounds like a great idea...are you helping me? I think my ribs will make it hard to rub some of my parts.”

Brian raised an eyebrow and turned around. Then swallowed. Cat was standing there in all his glory, perfectly formed in every respect.

It was a very good thing that Mikey had not succeeded in his plan.
 

********
 

Babylon, Halloween Night

“Has anyone seen Brian this Halloween?” Ben asked. He looked at his husband, but Michael just looked down at his drink and was uncharacteristically quiet given that Brian was the topic. Emmett was silent too, which was also suspicious.

“Not me,” Ted volunteered. “Cynthia said he was planning on spending it with his cat. Pretty tame Halloween for the former Stud of Babylon but I guess it happens to the best of us.”

“To the best of you, maybe, Theodore, but not to the best of the best.” Brian had joined the group unseen. Ben joined Ted and Blake in greeting him cheerfully, and welcoming his date – a stunningly attractive man costumed like a black panther, or some type of large cat.

Ben swallowed – it was quite a cat suit, that left nothing to the imagination.

“This is Cathal,” Brian said, smirking at Ben knowingly before adding, “Cat got your tongue, Professor?”

“Something like that,” Ben agreed humorously. “Nice to meet you, Cathal. I believe that is Gaelic for fierce fighter – you’ll need that quality if you hang around our Brian.” Ben was dressed as Thor, and he made a pretty impressive sight himself. Cat took in every detail of his appearance before he smiled.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you also,” he said finally. He liked the look of this big man, who seemed genuine to him. He sensed no danger in him, no risk to himself, and more importantly, none to Brian. Cat had his arm curled around Brian as he waited to meet the rest of Brian’s friends – or rather, to be formally introduced to them. He’d met most of them one way or another over the past two years, in his other form and it amused him to meet them eye to eye again.

Ted was next to greet him. “Hi, I’m Ted.” He reached out his hand, which Cat gripped strongly. Ted winced. “Nice to...meet you.”

Cat smiled mischievously. “Sorry. Sometimes I’m not quite...tame. And your costume raised my claws.” Ted was dressed as a Wolfhound.

Brian laughed, then slapped his hand lightly. “Play nice or no catnip for you.”

Cat purred loudly in Brian’s ear...the gathered men all shifted, trying to adjust themselves inconspicuously as their pants suddenly seemed too tight.

Emmett, dressed in his favorite fairy godmother costume, stepped forward. “I’m....”

“Emmett,” Cat said, his husky voice softening as he smiled a far sweeter smile than anyone had yet seen from him. He moved forward and to everyone’s surprise except Brian’s, he hugged the tall fairy.

“Oh oh m...m...my,” Em stammered. “That was nnnice.” Then, he looked a little more closely into Cat’s green eyes. “Have we met before?”

“In your dreams, Honeycutt,” Brian told him, but he said it more gently than was his usual practice Ben noted. With a shrewd look between Brian and Cat, Emmett just smiled and nodded. “That’s definitely true. Very happy to see you, Cat.”

Only Mikey was left. He was the only one not looking at the glamorous stranger. Dressed as Loki, a rather apt choice, Brian thought, though Mikey no doubt chose him simply to go along with the choice of Thor for Ben, he looked pretty miserable. Brian reached over and lifted his chin to place a gentle kiss on his lips – he never could stay mad at Mikey for long. Not when things worked out. He didn’t want to think about the “what ifs” had he not gotten to Cat in time.

“Happy Halloween, Mikey. Say hi to Cathal.”

Mikey looked relieved...and confused. “But I thought...this is a grown-up. Wasn’t Cathal a kid? How...what happened to....”

Brian frowned at him. “You shouldn’t have done what you did, Mikey. I suggest you stop with all the questions and accept that you don’t know everything about my life as much as you think you do so behave like a good friend now and say hello to my friend, Cathal, or I won’t forgive you for interfering on Friday after all, and almost causing a very serious problem.”

Michael bit his lip. Ben moved over next to him and put his muscular arm around him.

“Michael,” he said warningly. “Brian is giving you some very good advice. I suggest you take it.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Michael,” Cat said encouragingly.

“Hi, Cathal. Do you go by that, or ....”

“You can call me Cat,” Cat told him cheerfully.
 

********
 

Brian and Cat left Babylon before midnight. They were eager to be in the loft before the “witching hour.” Outside, on their way to the car, they encountered Mysterious Marilyn. Cat froze, as did the tall, dark-haired psychic. Brian would have sworn that if Cat were in his feline form, his back would have arched and he would have hissed. As it was, his hands bent into claws.

Marilyn glanced down and remained very still. She directed her words to Brian, who was directing his strongest glare in her direction.

“You want to know why he fears me. It is not due to me but guilt by association I am afraid. He knows me as the sister of the man who had been his intended partner. You must wonder...how did I know so much about Cat’s life, his intended life? I helped his mother escape when he was but a child. She got caught, but Cat managed to get away. I searched for him and ‘aided’ his travels so that he landed someplace safe...relatively.”

“Did you cause him to be attacked outside my office?” Brian asked, outraged.

“No!” she answered, just as outraged. But then she added. “I did make sure you hit enough lights and were delayed by a panhandler so that you passed that alley at just the right time and hadn’t gone into your office before your chance to rescue him occurred.”

“So you helped fate along.”

“That’s my job sometimes,” she said with a modest bow of her head.

“And if I had stayed with your brother?” Cat asked, his curiosity always stronger than his fear.

“You would have been dead before your second Halloween finished,” she said flatly. “But even if you had survived, a very small likelihood, he would have used a creature as lovely as you very cruelly. He does not admire beauty as he has none of his own, though he enjoys taking it.”

Cat shuddered and moved even closer to Brian. He was brave but he knew enough to fear a sorcerer.

“He cannot come searching for Cat here, can he?” Brian asked, no trace of fear in his voice, only determination. Marilyn nodded her approval at the sense of the question. She handed Brian an amulet.

“No, he cannot. By breaking the spell – which will be fully complete in another twenty minutes – you will have broken all hold he might have had over Cat. This amulet will keep you both safe from him. But more than that, your bond will make you safe from all evil and harm. I told you before, Brian. There is power in giving up something for another. You sacrificed your own pleasure for Cat. You named him, giving him power and protection from your heart. And you both took care of each other in times of struggle and strife – in your own ways. Only one thing remains.”

“Reaching midnight, right,” Brian said, putting the amulet over Cat’s neck and kissing him lightly.

Marilyn smiled patiently. “That and consummating your bond.”

“Oh.”

Cat smiled, finally relaxing. “Let’s go home, Brian. Quickly.”
 

*********
 

Brian undressed Cat slowly, kneeling together on the bed, with only moonlight illuminating the room. He was glad they had waited the two extra days to fully make love, though they had done everything else in the intervening time – his mind had finally caught up to who this man was that his body was worshiping.

Cat–Cathal–they were one and the same. His companion of the past couple of years, the funny boy, the quirky teen, the exciting man – his mystery lover, his friend. He and Cat spent most of Saturday sitting and talking about everything under the sun, taking breaks to kiss and stroke each other, stopping shy of penetration, but not much. On Sunday, he gave Cat his first blow job, and he reciprocated by licking him over his entire body – his entire body – with a thoroughness that only a man who really enjoyed licking could achieve.

Both days were really good days.

But now, the intensity of Cat’s green eyes as they met his, made his desire spike for this incredible man, this magical creature he’d saved from....no, saved for him, just him.

“You’re mine,” he whispered.

“Yours,” Cat agreed.

Brian bent his head to capture Cat’s lips in a deep kiss as he lifted the limber legs up onto his shoulders. He prepared him as well as he could but the younger man was impatient, urging Brian to enter him, pressing his body upward at what seemed an impossible angle.

For most men. Not this one. Brian gave into his hoarse urgings and pushed into his virgin ass, causing him to gasp at the sudden pain. He paused, but Cat quickly moved, adjusting slightly.

“Go on, it’s good. Please. Yes,” he gasped, pushing so that Brian slid in further.

Brian didn’t think he’d be able to stop a second time. He pulled back a bit, only to push in again, causing Cat to hiss in pleasure. He raked his nails down Brian’s back, urging him to move again, harder.

It was Brian’s turn to hiss, as the pleasure/pain built. He increased the speed of his thrusts, causing Cat to yowl his approval and begin to thrust back in rhythm with Brian’s pace, his hands gripping Brian’s shoulder's hair, his legs up around his shoulders, his hair wild around his own shoulders, his eyes shining with green fire.

“Touch yourself,” Brian urged him.

“No need,” Cat gasped. Bending closer, so that his cock was pressed between their stomachs as they kissed, the friction was enough to send him over the edge. He cried out his pleasure as Brian reached his climax also.

Afterward, Brian held him close as they watched the digital clock on Brian’s nightstand click to midnight...and past.

Together, they heaved a deep sigh of relieve, in unison.

Cat bounced up, happy that he was still a man. Not that he had doubted Brian had broken the spell.

Well, not much. Spells were such tricky things. Still, the important thing right now was....

“We can do that again, right?”

Brian laughed.

“Yes...we can do that again, and again, and again....”

And they did.

It was a very good Halloween.