Chapter Eight: After glow

Everything was quiet and still...A perfect moment. Where she stood was like the centre of a snow globe; the water before her was a silver blue mirror reflecting her face and the snow laden trees. The serenity was comforting and she felt content to stay as still as the silent sentinels of the forest....
Music clear as bells carried through the trees and she was not bothered by it for it seemed to add to the ambience instead of taking away from it. After all it was the music that had lured her into the woods in the first place. A soft glow announced that the party was drawing near...She waited with bated breath for them.
There...in the front walked the Lady and by her side were Wynter’s parents laughing and singing. Her mother looked so beautiful in her red gown, her dark hair hanging loose to swing at her bare shoulders. How she missed them! She tried to call out to them in greeting but the tone of the music had changed. It became more shrill and driving but only she had noticed.
The Lady whispered in her father’s ear making him smile widely as he nodded his head. The Lady smiled back at him and kissed him deeply on the lips before gesturing to the pond. The other members of the party swayed back and forth to the beat of the music their faces twisted with cruel anticipation of what was to happen next. The music stopped the moment he entered the pond.
As her father walked into the water Wynter became aware that he wasn’t moving out of his own free will. She could see the terror in his eyes as the water rose past his chest....but just as her father couldn’t stop his movement Wynter couldn’t begin hers. She was frozen and helpless to do anything....Paralyzed by her own horror at what was taking place before her.
The ripples in the water slowly took the shape of dark hands; hands that rose up out of the water to caress and stroke her father’s neck and face. From her spot Wynter could see the tears silently rolling down his cheeks as their eyes locked. Then the hands pushed him under. There was thrashing and screams as well as laughter from the Lady’s companions; then there was nothing. The water had returned to its mirror like state showing no sign of its victim nor the entity that had taken him under.
A scream of sorrow escaped from her mother’s lips as she knelt in the snow by the water’s edge. The Lady said something to her that made her cry even harder while the others hooted and applauded. With a gesture from the Lady the music began again; a lively tune that made her mother get to her feet and twirl. Tears still falling freely she laughed and danced for the Fey Queen’s pleasure...
Wynter woke with a start.
“Are you ok?” asked Tanner his concerned face hovering over hers.
“I’m...fine” she said in bewilderment as she tried to get her bearings. “It was a bad dream...” she said to reassure herself as much as it was for him.
“You’re sure?” he asked.
“Yes...I guess there’s just too much going on...go back to sleep” she answered and tried turning over but he wouldn’t let her.
“Wynter....”he trailed off.
“What?” she prompted. Instead of answering her he kissed her instead. This time there was no tenderness just raw need in its basest of forms. Afterwards, when Tanner had fallen asleep Wynter inched out of the bed and quietly gathered her clothes. Dressing in the living room she pondered on whether to leave him a note but decided against it. She would talk to him tomorrow but for now she needed to get home.
The drive back was far from relaxed as it possibly could be. Knuckles white on the steering wheel Wynter kept expecting something to pop out at her...nothing did. Though she couldn’t help but jump when her cell phone began to play Savin’ Me by Nickelback; flipping it open she greeted Shannon with an abrupt “What?”
“Don’t be mad....”she began in a whisper.
“Shannon...what did you do?” demanded Wynter after giving a long sigh.
“You’re going to hate me I just knows it!” she said as her voice wavered a bit Wynter rolled her eyes.
“Shannon just tell me what it is so we can get this over wit” said Wynter through gritted teeth.
“Not till you promise dat we’ll still be friends!”said Shannon and Wynter could almost picture her shaking her head as she said it.
“Fine! We’ll still be friends! Now tell me would ya?” demanded Wynter.
“I...you swear?” she asked.
“Shannon! I’m hanging up....”threatened Wynter.
“No!” she cried but then dropped her voice back down to the whisper “I slept with Rayne!” There was a long pause as neither said a word. “You hate me don’t you!” exclaimed Shannon on the verge of tears.
“No...Just surprised is all” said Wynter who then began to giggle uncontrollably.
“Why is you laughing? This isn’t funny Wynter!” said Shannon angrily.
“I’ll explain when I gets there...you are still at the house, right?” she asked as she turned onto her street.
“Yeah” said Shannon in puzzlement.
“Kay...see you in a few minutes” said Wynter shutting the phone before Shannon could say anything else. Laughing out loud she turned on the radio and blasted her favourite cd as the view of the bay disappeared behind the trees.
Pulling into her drive way moments later she saw Shannon pacing on the bridge dressed in Rayne’s shirt anxiously folding and unfolding her arms across her chest. Taking a deep breath Wynter got out her car and prepared herself for one of Shannon’s dramatic monologues that always accompanied what her friend considered important topics.
A breeze sent her hair across her face and as Wynter lifted her hand to move it she saw it in the trees. The figure was dressed all in white and Wynter could feel her sorrow pressing down on her. It was so oppressive that she felt smothered by it. As the red eyes bored into hers Wynter thought she recognized her...
“Wynter?” said Shannon shaking her and breaking the connection. Pushing her off Wynter stumbled towards the tree line but the figure was nowhere to be seen. “What the hell is the matter with you?” demanded Shannon as Wynter tried to catch her breath.
“I thought I saw...” she said but then shook her head “Never mind.”
“You looked like you had seen a ghost!” said Shannon looking at the woods with a worried expression upon her face.
“It was...just a trick of the light. C’mon lets go sit on the swing there and you can tell me how you got into my brothers pants” said Wynter tucking Shannon’s arm under her own and stirred her towards the bridge.
Shannon giggled nervously. “Well what makes you think it wasn’t the other way around?”
“Because you’ve had a crush on my brother for as long as I’ve known you!” answered Wynter glancing back at the trees. Seeing nothing she decided to think more on it later and concentrate on her friend instead.
“I have not! Sure I just realized dat I liked him myself a few weeks ago!” exclaimed Shannon slapping her lightly on the arm.
“Seriously?” said Wynter with genuine surprise as they sat on the swing.
“Yes....what makes you think that I liked him longer den dat?” asked Shannon flipping her hair over her shoulder.
“I don’t know...just thought you did is all given the way you looked at him.....” explained Wynter.
“Your brother is hot...of course I’m gonna look at him like that” huffed Shannon “’Sides where were you this evening?”
“At Tanner’s” said Wynter with a wide grin.
“At Tanner’s? Did you?” squealed Shannon with glee. Wynter nodded her head. “I knew it! Hah! Rayne owes me twenty bucks!”
“Twenty bucks? You bet on my sleeping with Tanner?”said Wynter incredulously.
“Sure we did! I just tole Rayne that you were gonna end up there tonight and he said that it would be at least a week or more before either of ya’s got down to business...Don’t look at me like that! Anyone with a set of eyes could see that the two of youse were anxious to go at it!”
“Shannon!” said Wynter blushing.
“What? Sure and why not? I think youse are a good match! You’re gonna make a pretty couple...not as hot as Rayne and I but close” she said with a smug smile.
“I wouldn’t be assuming anything right now...” said Wynter suddenly wishing that she had left a note for Tanner... “Maybe I should go back....” she thought to herself.
“And why not? Oh don’ go telling me he’s one of those jerks who just wants ya on yer back and den nothing to do with you afterwards!” said Shannon getting all riled up.
“No! At least I don’t think he’s that kind...” said Wynter.
“You mean you don’t know? What did he say when you left?” asked Shannon looking at her with a frown.
“Umm....nothing” said Wynter squirming uncomfortably.
“Jerk! Did he even try stopping you when you went to leave?” demanded Shannon.
“No...It wasn’t like that! I...snuck out” said Wynter mumbling the last part.
“What? I couldn’t hear you” said Shannon
“I snuck out!” repeated Wynter uncomfortably.
“Why’d you do that for you igit!” said Shannon “Wait...was the sex bad? Or did he have a little dick?”
“No!” laughed Wynter.
“So why’d you leave then?”
“I...was worried about Rayne worrying about me....” said Wynter scrambling for a reason for the truth was she really wasn’t sure why she had left only that she needed to...Fear snaked along her insides and she reached for her phone only to realize that she didn’t have his number. “Shit” she said and got to her feet.
“What? What is it? Something wrong?” asked Shannon getting up too.
“Not sure” answered Wynter going into the house and making a bee line for her lap top in the little parlour room. Shannon walked in behind her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Surfing for porn. What do you think I’m doing?”she answered as she searched. “Fuck! He’s not listed” Getting up she walked towards the kitchen and picked up the phone in there. Shannon continued to follow her but said nothing as Wynter spoke to Charlie who worked dispatch for the night shift. “Hi Charlie, its Wynter...yeah he did. Oh, I’m sure we have some leftovers; I’ll swing by with them in the morning for ya. Listen Charlie, Ray really wanted to see Tanner so he went and he forgot his cell phone and keys here...do you happen to have Tanner’s number?” She forced a laugh at Charlie’s lame joke and then thanked him as he rattled the number off to her.
Holding the receiver down for a few seconds she then began to dial the number Charlie had given her with trembling fingers. The sound of each ring drove her fear higher then after the sixth there was the sound of the phone being dropped followed by a sleepy “Hullo?”
“Tanner? Are you ok?” demanded Wynter.
“Wynter?” he asked with a yawn.
“Yes; it’s me. Are you ok?” she demanded.
“Where are you?” he asked his voice a little more alert.
“At home. Answer my question...are you ok?” she asked again.
“Yeah except for the fact you left without saying good bye first...Why did you leave?” he asked and Wynter could hear the bed creek as he sat up.
“I...needed to check in on Rayne” she said and crossed her fingers in the hopes that he would believe her.
“You could have just called him...I was planning on making you breakfast...” he said and made the guilt build inside Wynter.
“How ‘bout you make me supper instead tomorrow night?” she suggested.
“Or you could come back...” he argued.
Wynter glanced at Shannon who raised her eyebrows at her. “I could do that....but you’d have to make it worth my while...gas is expensive you know” Shannon covered her mouth to muffle the sound of her laughter.
“Hmm...Well I can make you a promise that it will defiantly be worth your while and the cost of gas...” he said and his tone of voice made Wynter weak at the knees and eager to get going.
“I’ll have to think about it” she said making him laugh.
“Well if you do decide to come over I’m going to...” and Wynter almost dropped the phone after he described something that she was pretty sure came out of Play Boy.
“Well...ahem” she said clearing her throat and making him laugh harder. “I’ll take that into consideration Constable”
“You do that” he said and hung up.
“Wow” said Shannon who had listened in on the whole thing. “If I was you I’d be out the door already”
“I don’ want to look to anxious...” said Wynter with a dignified sniff.
“You don’t want to look stunned either...” warned Shannon. “An’ only a stunned woman would be standing here instead of tapping that fine ass. So is you stunned or wha’?”
Wynter laughed and gave her a hug before rushing to the door. The fear was still there but she pushed it away....