Chapter 14
Gone
September
Elisa's POV
Owen was grinding his teeth. He almost snapped when he saw me. It got worse when we actually got to the castle. Alex was crying up a storm. Fox was trying to calm him down.
"Shh, shh. It's ok. I know, I know." She said softly. She looked frazzled and overtired.
"Where's Xanatos?" I asked.
"He's working." Owen spat.
"I can find my way from here." I said.
"Fine." He left.
I went to Goliath and watched him wake up. He smiled and walked up to me.
"How are things with the Xanatoses?" He asked.
"Not good. Owen's going to snap at any moment, Xanatos is burying himself in work, and Fox is just trying to care for Alex." I shook my head.
"Losing a child is damaging thing." Goliath sighed.
"I know. I just wish they would report her missing." I frowned.
"You know Xanatos won't." He rumbled.
"I'm a little afraid Owen's going to kill someone soon." I chuckled dryly.
"He lost his daughter and cannot find her with his magic. He's infuriated. Only seeing Talia alive and well was calm him down now." Goliath hummed.
"She doesn't know how important she is." I said. "I never want to see him this angry again."
"Neither do I." He agreed.
Elisa's POV End
Talia's POV
"Hey, babe." A man grinned viciously at me.
I kept walking and turned a corner, making myself invisible. He turned the corner and looked around, confused. Then I shot him with an energy blast. He fell like a brick. I turned back into Taylor. A blond human girl with better figure than me. Now that I think about it, I accidently gave her Owen's hair color. Oops.
I hope I hadn't used too much magic. Taking out threats before they got on Puck's radar was a risk, but a necessary one. It was the one of the only reasons he hadn't dragged my ass home yet.
I unlocked the door to my temporary home and said, "Hey, I'm back."
"I was about to call the police." Caity told me.
"I'm fine. I made it back." I smiled at her. The police would ruin everything.
"Did you have fun?" She smiled.
"I just got the milk." I said as I went to the kitchen and put it away.
"You're a life safer." She called from the living room.
"Don't stay up too late." I called back.
"Alright, Mom." She replied.
I didn't answer her as I went to my room and locked the door. Sighing, I released my disguise and checked my eyes. Constantly using my magic was dangerous. They weren't as brown as I thought, but they still had good amount of brown.
Maybe I should just go home. Everyone was probably worried. But everything just got too crazy. Having three parents (two of which were ignoring me again), a baby brother, and then the clan comes back? Too much, too soon. Besides, I was already this far, why stop now?
I went to bed and wondered what to do. I hadn't come to a conclusion when I fell asleep. I woke up in the morning and went out. Caity thought I had a job, but I was just basically taking from my bank account. I couldn't get a job as Taylor Jones. I wasn't as skilled as Puck with shapeshifting. I wouldn't be able to keep it up forever. I needed my father's guidance.
I strummed my guitar and played another tune. I learned how to play last month. People threw change into the case. I wondered what David would do if he knew how I was spending my days. A run away rich kid hiding as a street musician.
I smiled then frowned as I remembered Alex. He wouldn't notice my absence, would he? I wasn't around long enough for him to know who I was. I've been gone for most of his life. I know he's smart, but he's only three months old. I'm sure Dad is keeping him busy. He has to.
People clapped and I looked up. I was on autopilot again and let my thoughts affect my music. They tossed bigger bills into the case now. I decided to pack up for the day and went back to the apartment. Luckily, Caity got home late. I showered and had a light snack.
"Hey, Taylor. I got out early. I found a cool new Chinese place. Let's go there." Caity announced.
"Sure. I haven't had dinner yet." I said.
"Great." I followed her out and we went to get dinner.
Dinner was good. Walking there and home wasn't. It was a 15 minute walk. She often wondered how I made it back from late night shopping trips. Well, I didn't have another person to worry about.
"I don't know how you do this. It's so unnerving." Caity babbled.
"Just calm down. It's not that dark." I told her.
She didn't get to calm down because someone took me hostage and held a gun to my head. "Come with me or she dies!"
"Now you've done it." I choked out.
"Taylor!" Caity screamed.
"Shut up!" He growled.
"Let my daughter go." Puck threatened.
"Where the hell did you come from?" The man demanded.
"I warned you." Puck snarled as his eyes glowed.
I dropped my disguise and used my magic to free myself. I grabbed Caity and tried to run, but my leg was chained to the sidewalk.
"Run, go home!" I yelled at her. She ran without a second thought.
I looked back at my father. He was torturing the man as Owen now and broke his knee caps. He was already very bloody and not able to hurt me. But I don't think he was satisfied with that. Owen was the fighter, Puck was the trickster. And he needed to get his agression out.
Owen turned back into Puck and dragged the beaten man behind him and toward me. "Talia Samantha Xanatos."
I gulped.
"Don't ever worry me like that again! Do you know how frightened I became when I couldn't sense you? I lost sleep because I was so worried about you. You're in so much trouble." His face softened. "I missed you so much. We all missed you."
"I'm sorry." I said softly.
"You're still in trouble. C'mere, Sweetheart, give Daddy a kiss." I hugged him and kissed his cheek. He kissed my cheek.
"Things just got too crazy. Alex, and the clan, and…" I trailed off.
"What?" He asked.
"Having David and Fox go back to their old ways." I frowned.
"Oh, Tai, why didn't you say anything?" Puck frowned lightly.
"A-and then you…" I looked away.
"Talia, Alex will never replace you. You're my daughter. You're their daughter as well. We love you. I love you." Puck brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
"I love you too." I smiled.
He smiled before becoming serious. "I erased that girl's memory. She doesn't remember you anymore. Or whoever you pretended to be."
"I know." I said.
"Let's go home, kiddo." Puck smiled and teleported us back to Castle Wyvern.
Fox was trying to calm Alex down. "Puck? What's going on?"
"Hey." I turned visible.
"Talia! You are in so much trouble when David gets here. Come here." Fox demanded and I did. She hugged me. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked.
"We were neglecting you again. And we didn't help you adjust at all. Forgive us." She said softly.
"You had Alex and stuff…" I said lamely.
"That's no excuse. We should have realized how much change the clan and Alexander would bring to this family." She frowned.
"Talia." David walked in. "I'm sorry."
"Fox just said that." I told him.
"I haven't been a good father to you." He admitted.
"I… Yeah, that's true." I shrugged.
"We'll discuss your punishment in the morning. Right now, you're going to hold your baby brother." David said and Fox showed me how to hold him.
He wasn't crying anymore and he looked at me with his dark green eyes before nuzzling me and cooing.
"Hey, little guy." I smiled.
"That's your big sister, Alex." Fox told him.
"Talia, your eyes." Puck finally noticed.
"I'm not hurt. I just used my magic daily." I told him.
"I should have sensed it." He frowned.
"I used a loophole." I tickled Alex and he laughed.
David raised an eyebrow.
"I got it when Oberon didn't recognize you as Owen. And as long as I wasn't in danger, you couldn't protect me." I smiled and Puck made Fox take Alex back so he could smack me. "Ow."
"That is the least of your punishment, Talia. You ran away for two months and you've drained your magic to an unhealthy level." He takes a breath and pauses. "We'll decide on your punishment tomorrow."
"Ok." I said and he restored my magic. I thought he was going to make me regenerate it on my own.
"Talia?" Goliath asked.
"Hey, big guy." I hugged him. Puck glared at him for not being able to choose which of his favorite affectionate gestures to do next.
"We've missed you." He hugged back.
"I think everyone has." I said.
The rest of the clan comes and is overjoyed to see me. Hudson scolded me, but he was happy to see me. We had dessert and then I went to bed.
Talia's POV End
Puck's POV
While the clan celebrated the return of Talia, I showed David the man I hid from them.
"He threatened to kill her." I scowled.
"Do what you wish, but leave no evidence." He told me steely eyed.
"Yes, sir." I smiled and left in a whirlwind of magic.
Puck's POV End
David's POV
"Should we move him?" I asked.
"Let him stay with Talia. He deserves it." Fox smiled.
Owen was fast asleep, cuddling his daughter. He hadn't noticed us watch him as he cooed and fussed over her. It surprised me when he got in her bed, but I knew him too well to be worried. Puck's protectiveness and Owen's loyalty was something of a dangerous thing. Their rage was even worst.
"He was going to kill me before the month was up." I told my wife.
"You were supposed keep his little girl safe." She huffed.
"We're lucky he found her before she got worse. I estimate that she only had 30% of her magic." I frowned.
"I can see why he wanted to fix it. She's playing with her life." She said. We watched as Owen nuzzled Talia. "They're cute together."
"Let's include him in our family portrait. I think not having anything in his office made it worse." I looked at her.
"Alex would love that." Fox smiled.
"We're keeping the ones where he smiles forever." I chuckled a little, knowing how easy it would be.
"Of course." She agreed.
"Let's go to bed." I closed the door.
David's POV End
