Chapter 7: So...now what?

Tanner pulled her close and held her. They stayed that way for at least a quarter or an hour before either had the urge to speak and a half hour passed before they actually broke the silence with murmurs of assurances and tender kisses. “Was that the one who visited you before” she asked after wards.
“No” said Tanner his eyes clouding over as he picked at the mess on the floor then looked up at her “You threw instant oatmeal at him?”
“Yeah” said Wynter with a grin.
“Oatmeal?!” he repeated.
“I knew it was a form of repellent...it worked” she said shrugging her shoulders.
Tanner frowned and continued to pick at the mess “What if it hadn’t worked?” he said with an undercurrent of anger.
“But it did so why bother playing with the ‘what ifs’? Besides I could ask you the same question about the garden hose....” she answered in annoyance.
“That was different” he said.
“Why is it different? Because you were the one doing the rescuing? I thought you were better than those macho types” she said getting to her feet in disgust. “Maybe you should be grateful that I saved your sorry ass ‘cause it looked like you were getting it kicked by the jolly green giant!”
“Wynter...” he began but she strode out of the room. Getting to his feet he followed her out into the living room where she was looking for her shirt. “Wynter...”he tried again but she cut him off.
“Just save it, ok? I don’t want to hear it. I just want my shirt and my shoes and to get the hell out of here” she tossed cushions aside and cursed as she couldn’t find it.
He waited for her to run out of steam and couldn’t help but laugh when she glared at him and demanded that he aid her in her search for her shirt. She looked so cute when she was angry... “Wynter!” he exclaimed earning her undivided attention. “We need to talk”
“No we don’t” she stated and turned back to the couch, crouching down on all fours she checked underneath it but again came up empty.
“Yes we do! There’s got to be a reason for all of this and we need to figure it out....”he said but she wasn’t listening for she gave a triumphant cry as she found her shirt crammed behind the couch and the wall. Yanking it on over her head she moved towards the doorway but he blocked her path.
“Get out of my way Tanner” she warned.
“No. You can’t leave until we’ve talked this out” he said with a shake of his head.
She narrowed her eyes at him and for a second he believed that she might actually hit him but she turned on her heel and sat down on the couch. Crossing her legs she jiggled her foot impatiently. With a sigh Tanner joined her but sat on the coffee table so that he could look her in the eye as they spoke.
“Do you have any clue as to who that was?” he asked her.
“No” she said shortly.
“Why do you think they came after me instead of you?” he asked and he saw something flicker across her face before disappearing under her mask of annoyance.
“You tell me” she said with a little less anger.
“Wynter...is there something you’re not telling me?” he asked catching her gaze and holding it with his own.
“Maybe it would be best if you left” she said biting her lower lip “Try and get a transfer somewhere else...” the worry in her eyes touched him but it wasn’t really the answer he was looking for.
“That’s not what I asked” he said after a moment. They stared at one another and for a moment Wynter almost relented but reasons old and ingrained wouldn’t allow her to.
“Too bad, ‘cause that’s all you’re getting. Can I go now?” she demanded while getting to her feet.
This time Tanner made no move to stop her. He remained sitting as she closed the door smartly behind her. Slowly getting up he took one look at the mess and decided to clean it up in the morning.
Wynter was half way to her car when the vision hit her. A whirlwind of emotions and pictures assaulted her mind making her stagger under their weight. Then it was over and she was left trembling on the sidewalk. In a stupor she turned around and walked back to Tanners apartment. Someone let her in and she took the elevator up to the fifth floor.
She rapped on his door when she found it was locked. No answer. She knocked harder. “Tanner...I know you’re home” she called and a few minutes later she heard the clunk and click as both locks were undone.
He swung the door open and looked at her with a frown. “I thought you wanted...” he began but she cut him off.
“You’re right; we do need to talk” she said and pushed her way inside. “Why didn’t you tell me that you have the same abilities as I do?” she demanded turning to face him. Shutting the door Tanner said nothing until they were in the living room.
“Because I don’t” he said after he turned the single lamp on; flooding the room with a faint yellow glow and crossing his arms over his bare chest. “What made you think that I do?”
“You don’t have to lie to me about it...”she said.
“I’m not....Sometimes I get the odd dream that comes true a few days later or whatever but it’s never anything major just someone wearing a certain shirt or a hockey score.....”he said shifting his weight from one bare foot to the other.
“Oh? Hmm...” said Wynter and she began to wonder about the accuracy of what she had just seen...perhaps she had misinterpreted it. She looked at Tanner and noticed how tense he appeared and then she began to wonder how much truth he had actually been telling her.... “Obviously we both have something that the West Lands fear...we just need to figure it out”
“The what?” he asked in confusion.
Wynter sighed before saying “The realm where the fairies live....Don’t you know anything?”
“Apparently not...”he said raising his eyebrows at her.
“Sorry” she said; meaning it this time. “So... what now?” she asked cocking her head to the side.
“You’re asking me?” he said running his hands through his hair before resting them behind his head and giving a low whistle “Not sure Red...you’re the one who seems to know so much; you tell me”
“Ha-ha...” she said sarcastically “Don’t call me Red ever again. I hate it.”
“Good to know” he nodded his head in acknowledgment “So?”
“So?” she repeated and suddenly noticed that he was standing in his boxers. “Were you in bed?”
He looked down and then grinned at her sheepishly. “Yeah”
“How could you possibly sleep after what happened?” she asked in amazement.
“Easily if it weren’t for bossy little red heads knocking at my door....”he answered. She stuck her tongue out at him. “Very mature”
“I thought so” she agreed making him laugh. “Speaking of I think that I have the answer to your earlier question about why they attacked you and not me...” She held up her chain to indicate the Fairy Cross. “This...I could feel them around me but none of them hurt me...” Her gaze dropped to the marks that marred his smooth skin and the terrible bruises on his throat. She stepped closer to have a better look and heard him suck in his breath.
Curious at his reaction she ran her hand gently over the gash in his side and felt him tremble “Did that hurt?” she asked looking up into his face.
“Yes” he said simply and gently grabbed her wrist when she tried to touch him again. “We shouldn’t...”
“Why?” she asked running her free hand along his back and stopping just short of his ass before moving it back up in one smooth stroke. “You want me...I want you...Not seeing a problem here Constable”
“Don’t you want to ah take things slower?” he asked distractedly as her hand moved dangerously low again. “Get to know each other first before we....Christ” he exclaimed as she squeezed his ass.
“Sorry, I’ve wanted to do that since I met you” she said smiling up at him obviously pleased with herself. “You were saying?”
“Wynter...I....” his mind went blank as her busy hands to his front.
“Yes?” she asked in a half whisper as she stood on tip toe so that she could look into his eyes.
“Nothing...nothing at all” he answered and pulled her against him making her laugh in triumph before he shut her up with a kiss.