Page 35 of Paws and Claws

"What's wrong, Tabs? Don't tell me you're actually defending him right now?" Riley's lip curled. "He's probably got a whole collection of your speeding tickets he jerks off to. He's nothing but a pathetic, lonely?—"

"I said stop." Tabitha turned to face her friend. "You don't know anything about him. He risks his life to protect this town. He's honorable and brave and yeah, maybe he's a little rigid sometimes, but at least he stands for something."

The silence that followed her outburst was broken only by the sound of Riley's glass hitting the table.

Riley's face twisted into an ugly sneer. "Oh, I get it now. You're just defending him because you're sucking his dick to get out of those speeding tickets. What's the matter, Tabs? Don't want anyone to know you're the sheriff's little?—"

Tabitha's fist connected with Riley's jaw before she could finish. Wild magic crackled through the air, making her purple hair float around her face. The satisfaction of shutting Riley up lasted exactly two seconds before a bolt of lightning shot past her ear.

"You want to talk trash?" Tabitha deflected Riley's next magical attack with a shield of pure energy. "At least I don't have to enchant stop signs to feel important!"

Riley's eyes blazed silver. "Better than being the sheriff's pet witch!"

The thought of Dominic's concerned face when he'd protected her made Tabitha's magic surge. Tables flew across the room as the two witches clashed. Riley's controlled spells against Tabitha's wild magic sent sparks flying everywhere.

"Break it up!" Luna shouted, throwing up a barrier between them.

Tabitha's wild magic shattered it like glass. "Take it back!"

"Make me!" Riley hurled a chair that Tabitha turned into butterflies.

More witches rushed in to help contain them. Someone's binding spell wrapped around Tabitha's waist, but her magic burned through it instantly. The air crackled with competing energies as seven different witches tried to separate them.

"You don't know anything about him!" Tabitha's voice came out raw as she blocked another of Riley's attacks. Her magic reacted to her emotions, creating a whirlwind that scattered glasses and napkins everywhere. "He's ten times the person you'll ever be!"

"Aww, does little Tabitha have a crush on the big bad sheriff?" Riley taunted, dodging a burst of wild energy.

The accusation hit too close to home, making Tabitha's magic spike dangerously. The lights in The Hex exploded, showering them all in sparks.

Three more witches joined the fray, trying to contain the magical battle that was quickly destroying the bar. But Tabitha barely noticed them, too focused on wiping that smug look off Riley's face.

15

DOMINIC

Dominic rubbed his tired eyes as he stared at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. The station had quieted down for the night, save for the occasional crackle of the radio and shuffling footsteps in the hallway.

"Man, that was some fight at The Hex," Officer Johnson's voice drifted through his open door. "Never seen wild magic go that crazy before."

Dominic's head snapped up, his enhanced hearing picking up every word.

"Seven witches to break them up," Officer Martinez replied. "And that purple-haired one? She started it all over some stupid comment about-"

Dominic was already out of his chair. "Martinez. Johnson. A word?"

Both officers jumped, not realizing how close he'd gotten. The lion in him took a certain satisfaction in their startled expressions.

"Sir?" Johnson straightened his uniform.

"This fight at The Hex. Details. Now." His voice came out as a low rumble.

Martinez cleared her throat. "Two witches got into it. One with purple hair - you know the one, sir - and her friend. Started with words, ended with wild magic throwing furniture around."

Of course it was Tabitha. His jaw clenched. Just when he'd started thinking she might be more than just a troublemaker.

"What sparked it?"

"From what witnesses said, the friend was trash-talking someone and Moon didn't like it. Threw the first punch."

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