Page 4 of Paws and Claws (Saltwater Grove Romances #4)

4

TABITHA

T abitha bobbed her head to the music as her wild magic crackled around her fingertips. As she worked, purple sparks danced across the canvas, bringing depth to the watercolor sunset she was creating. The painting shifted and moved under her touch with the clouds actually drifting across the canvas.

"This is the one," she muttered, adding another layer of magic to make the stars twinkle. "They can't say no to this."

Paint tubes and brushes littered every surface of her living room, and half-finished canvases leaned against the walls. The rejection letter from the Silver Moon Gallery lay crumpled by her feet, but she refused to let it dampen her spirits.

The bass dropped in her speakers, and she cranked it up higher, letting the vibrations flow through her. Her magic responded, sending ripples of energy through the painting that made the sunset colors swirl and blend.

"Just need to get the right balance." She stepped back, tilting her head. "More purple? Definitely more purple."

With a flick of her wrist, she sent a stream of violet magic into the piece. The sky darkened beautifully, but then kept going, spreading beyond the canvas edges.

"Whoa, whoa!" She lunged forward, trying to contain the magic before it stained her walls. Again.

Her wild magic sparked and fizzled, finally settling back into the painting. Tabitha let out a relieved breath, then frowned at the now gothic-looking sunset.

"Well, that's... different." She crossed her arms, studying the darker tones. "Maybe I should lean into it? Go full haunted twilight?"

Her gaze drifted to the stack of bills on her kitchen counter. The red "FINAL NOTICE" stamp on top made her stomach clench.

"Who am I kidding?" She slumped onto her paint-splattered couch. "Nobody wants magical art anymore. They want those soulless digital prints."

But the magic tingled in her fingers, begging to create, to express, and to transform. She couldn't stop, even if she wanted to. It was part of who she was.

"Their loss." She stood up, determination straightening her spine. "I'll just have to make something so amazing they can't ignore it."

She turned up the music even louder and dove back into her work, letting her wild magic flow freely. The painting began to pulse with its own inner light, and for a moment, she forgot about everything else.

The thunderous pounding at her door barely registered over the bass line of her speakers. Tabitha rolled her eyes, certain it was Mrs. Bennett from next door coming to complain again. The old werewolf had supernatural hearing - you'd think she'd be used to a little noise by now.

The knocking grew more insistent. Tabitha's wild magic sparked in response, sending a shower of purple sparks cascading over her painting.

"Great," she muttered, trying to salvage the canvas before the magic could set it on fire. "Coming! Keep your fur on!"

She navigated through her obstacle course of art supplies, kicking aside empty coffee cups and brushes. The pounding continued.

"I said I'm coming!" Tabitha yanked open the door, ready to remind her neighbor about the town's quiet hours - which didn't start for another three hours.

Instead of Mrs. Bennett's scowling face, she found herself staring at a broad chest covered in a dark blue uniform. Her gaze traveled up to meet familiar green eyes that currently held all the warmth of an ice storm.

"Sheriff Blackmane." Tabitha leaned against her doorframe, crossing her arms. "Did you miss me already? That speeding ticket was only yesterday."

"Miss Moon." His jaw clenched in that way that always made her want to poke him just to see what would happen. "You need to come down to the station with me."

Tabitha laughed. "Wow, you actually developed a sense of humor! I'm impressed."

"This isn't a joke." He stepped closer, filling her doorway with his imposing presence. The scent of wood and citrus washed over her, making her magic tingle. "We have some questions for you."

"Questions?" Her smile faltered as she realized he wasn't kidding. "About what? The music? Look, I know it's loud, but-"

"This isn't about the noise." His eyes narrowed, and she caught a flash of gold. "Though we can certainly add that to the list."

"List?" Tabitha straightened, her magic crackling beneath her skin in response to his intensity. "What list? What's going on?"

"Get your jacket. We're leaving."

"Like hell we are." She planted her feet. "Not until you tell me what this is about. I haven't done anything wrong." She paused, considering. "Well, nothing major anyway."

Something in Dominic's stern expression shifted, his green eyes softening just enough to make Tabitha's stomach do an unwelcome flip.

"We just need to ask you a few questions about some incidents in your neighborhood," he said, his voice losing its edge. "As a resident in the area, you might have information that could help."

Tabitha's wild magic sparked beneath her skin, responding to her rising anxiety. "And this requires a trip to the station?"

"Standard procedure."

She bit back a sarcastic response and grabbed her leather jacket, pulling it tight around her like armor. The familiar scent of leather and paint helped steady her nerves.

The ride to the station passed in tense silence. Tabitha watched the town blur past through the passenger window, her reflection ghosting over the glass. Her dark purple hair looked particularly vibrant against the afternoon sun, and she caught Dominic glancing at her more than once.

The interrogation room was exactly what she'd expected - stark white walls, metal table, and uncomfortable chairs. Her magic itched to add some color to the depressing space.

"Have a seat." Dominic's commanding tone was back as he settled into the chair across from her.

Tabitha dropped into the metal chair, crossing her arms. "You know, if you wanted to spend time with me, you could've just asked me out."

He ignored her comment and opened a file. "Where were you two days ago around noon?"

"Probably painting. Or napping. Maybe both." She paused briefly. "Why?"

"Three drivers crashed their vehicles after experiencing sudden confusion." He leaned forward, his presence filling the small room. "And last night, a group reported being robbed by ghouls outside Mario's. And this morning, several electrical poles collapsed near Monkey Park."

Tabitha's heart skipped. These weren't her usual minor infractions - speeding tickets and noise complaints. This was serious. Her wild magic crackled in response to her rising anger, making the fluorescent lights above flicker.

Dominic's eyes tracked the movement of the lights, his expression hardening. "All these incidents occurred within a few blocks of your home."

She stared at him, her mouth slightly open, too shocked to even come up with one of her usual quips. Her mind raced through the past few days - she'd been home working on her paintings, trying to create something good enough to finally get a gallery showing.

"So, what are you suggesting?" she finally asked, leaning forward. "You think I did all that? I didn't even know about any of it!"

"You have powerful wild magic, Miss Moon," Dominic replied. "Magic that could easily cause confusion, create illusions, or snap utility poles."

The assertion in his voice made her magic surge again, and she had to clench her fists to keep it contained. How dare he think she'd hurt people? Sure, she bent the rules sometimes, but she wasn't a criminal.

"Oh, so because I have wild magic, I must be the bad guy?" Her magic sparked, making the overhead light flicker again. "News flash, Sheriff Perfect, there are other witches in town."

He pushed a map across the table. Red circles marked each incident, forming a rough triangle around her neighborhood. "The evidence-"

"The evidence shows I live in the area. That's it." She jabbed her finger at the map. "I speed sometimes. I play my music too loud. I forget to return library books. But I don't hurt people."

"Then where were you during these incidents?"

"I told you - at home, painting!" Her voice rose with frustration. "I've been trying to get ready for a gallery submission. Check my Instagram if you don't believe me. I post progress pics."

Dominic's jaw tightened. "Those could have been taken any time."

"For fuck's sake!" Tabitha shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. Purple sparks danced in her hair as her control slipped. "I would never put kids in danger! Do you really think I'd collapse poles near a playground? Or cause car crashes? What kind of person do you think I am?"

His eyes flashed. "The kind who doesn't care about rules or consequences."

The accusation stung more than Tabitha cared to admit. She planted her hands on the table, leaning into his space. "There's a difference between breaking stupid rules and hurting innocent people."

Something flickered across his face - doubt, maybe? - but his expression quickly hardened again. "Sit down, Miss Moon. We're not finished."

"No, I don't think I will." Her magic crackled around her hands where they touched the table. "Not until you stop treating me like a criminal."

Dominic suddenly slapped a photo on the table, making Tabitha jump. Her motorcycle gleamed under the streetlight outside Mario's.

"Care to explain this?"

Tabitha looked down, her purple hair falling across her face as she studied the grainy image. "Yeah, I got the eggplant parm there. Sue me."

"Near the time of the robbery." His voice rumbled low, sending an unwanted shiver down her spine.

"Wow, so eating dinner is suspicious now?" She rolled her eyes, but her stomach churned. Someone was clearly setting her up. "I got takeout, went home, and painted until three AM. Like I do most nights."

Dominic's jaw clenched as he gathered the photos. "You're free to go. For now." He stood up, all six-plus feet of pure alpha male authority looming over her. "But I'll be watching you very closely, Miss Moon."

Tabitha flashed him her brightest smile even as anxiety gnawed at her insides. "You know, Sheriff, if you focused less on little old me and more on finding the actual bad guy, you might solve this case faster."