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No freaking way were we going where his thoughts had gone, and no freaking way were we ever discussing it in a group setting oranysetting ever.
"Yeah, Romero," one of the twins said. "Get with the program."
"Or Uncle Quint is gonna wash your mouth out with a bar of soap because you're naughty," the other twin chimed in.
People around the room started laughing, taking their lives into their own hands.
"Am I the only one who loves it when they call him Uncle Quint?" Julian wondered aloud.
"Or how about when they talk about him spanking people?" Tyson laughed hysterically.
The twins actually did talk about Quinton and spanking probably more than what was appropriate. I always found it incredibly amusing.
I sighed as I lay against Dash's side. I'd had nothing to worry about by being here with these people. They were my family, all of them, and they wanted this time with me to make sure I was okay because I had scared them.
I realized with a start that I did that a lot and promised myself I would try and do better.
"Ah," Romero cried out excitedly. "There you are, little bugger. I've been waiting for you to come to me."
He sat forward on the couch and held his hand down low in front of him, making acome heregesture with his fingers. Binx walked up to the man and immediately began rubbing his furry little head against Romero's outstretched hand. He started to purr loudly as he rubbed himself back and forth up against and around Romero's hand.
"Of course he likes you," someone muttered snidely, and I couldn't help but smile at hearing it. Binx was very selective when it came to whom he decided to give his affection to, and it often changed depending on what day it was. This was different though, it looked a lot like greeting a long-lost friend after years of being separated. Tears stung the backs of my eyes.
Romero scooped the little cat up into his arms. He sat back on the couch and clutched the cat to his chest reverently.
"You're such a good boy," Romero cooed affectionately. "You did so well, everything I asked for you did it. Thank you for looking out for my son for me, but I'm here now and you don't have to do that anymore."
Binx let out a pathetic meow and turned his intelligent eyes on the elder Flynn. The cat stared at the human for several long seconds before dipping his head down and rubbing it up against Romero's hand.
Romero whispered words in a different language that I didn't understand, and I felt Dash stiffen beside me.
"What are you doing?" Dash asked urgently as he pulled his arm away from my shoulders. "Dad, this isn't going to hurt him, is it?"
Romero shook his head as he placed his freehand down onto the top of Binx's little head. The little cat's body jerked violently, and I blinked in shock as his color began to change. Starting at the tip of his tail and slowly working its way down the rest of his body, down his legs, up his neck, over his ears, and all over his face.
Binx turned almost entirely white. He was left with two little black spots. One on his face and one on the front of his paw, where they had once been the only white spots on him not five minutes ago.
He looked like he'd aged several years as he curled up against Romero's chest, laid his head down on his paws, and closed his eyes.
I made a startled noise as I lunged toward the cat. I put my hand over him and waited. He drew in breaths over and over again.
Alive, he was still very much alive.
"What did you do?" I asked in an accusing voice that cut through the otherwise silent room.
"He gave me my magic back," Romero said simply. "He's been holding on to it for me for a very long time, and now he's given it back to me. Don't worry about him, little angel, he's going to be just fine. There will be no lasting effects on his body, but I could not stop him from aging slightly, but that was to be expected. He is no longer a supernatural being but a simple, regular house cat."
I sat back against Dash stunned stupid.
Binx was now white, and Romero suddenly had his magic back after years of being without it and completely helpless while being at the mercy of others.
"What now?" Trenton asked as he turned his head to look back at me.
"Now," Romero answered for me, "my son is going to take us to our cottage so I can have a look around and inspect the damage that's been done to it. Then, later, Ariel is going to tell me everything she knows about the Council and that motel they are staying at. Afterwards, we will discuss how to move forward from this in a way we can all be comfortable with."
I refused to look at him.
I knew exactly what it was Romero wanted and I wasn't exactly opposed to it.
