Page 19 of Paws and Claws

Tabitha's magic crackled again, making the nearby light fixtures flicker. Dominic's hand found the small of her back, steadying her.

"Thank you for your help," he told Rachel as they walked out of the restaurant.

Tabitha slid into the passenger seat of Dominic's squad car. His scent soon enveloped her - that woodsy cologne mixed with coffee and something uniquely alpha male. It should have made her bristle, but instead she found herself relaxing despite the morning's revelations.

"You're quieter than usual," Dominic said, starting the engine. "No jokes about my driving yet?"

"Give me time. I'm crafting something special about how you stop at yellow lights."

His lips twitched. "It's the law."

Tabitha just shook her head. As they started moving, she watched his profile as he drove, noticing how his usual rigid posture had softened slightly. "You know, you're almost bearable when you're not writing me tickets."

"You're almost bearable when you're not earning them."

At the monkey troop's park, utility workers swarmed around the fallen poles. The smell of ozone still lingered in the air, making Tabitha's wild magic tingle uncomfortably.

"These things are massive," she said, walking the perimeter with Dominic. "Look at the clean breaks at the base. That's not random destruction - that's precision."

"Agreed." Dominic's shoulder brushed hers as they walked. "Wild magic tends to be more..."

"Chaotic? Messy? Completely unpredictable?" She grinned. "Trust me, I know. This is way too controlled."

Their final stop was the transformer block. Tabitha's magic hummed as they drove down the street, recognizing the residual energy from other witches.

"Wait." She pressed her hand against the window. "This is weird. Almost everyone who lives here is magical. The Smiths are weather witches, the Patels work with earth magic, and Mrs. Chen does the most amazing healing spells."

"That matters because...?"

"Because whoever did this picked a block full of witches to attack." She turned to look at him. "Just like they targeted shifters at the park, and those mice shifters at Mario's, and those shifters in the car crash."

Dominic's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You might be onto something."

"I usually am." She leaned back in her seat, studying the scorched transformers. "You know what else is weird? Being in your car without handcuffs."

"Don't make me regret that." But his voice held a warmth she'd never heard before, and Tabitha found herself hoping this wouldn't be the last time they worked together.

The squad car's air conditioning blasted against Tabitha's face as they headed to where she left her motorcycle. "Don't you think it's pretty strange though?" she blurted out. "Every single incident targeted paranormal beings."

"Yeah, it's odd." His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

Her wild magic tingled beneath her skin as the pieces started falling into place. "And Bruce - the way he talked about me being a 'worthless witch.'" Her voice caught unexpectedly as she remembered his sneering face. The words had cut deeper than she cared to admit.

Warmth suddenly spread through her arm as Dominic's hand settled there, strong and steady. The touch was so unexpected, and her magic quieted completely, like it recognized something safe and solid.

"He also called you garbage to my face last night," Dominic said, his voice carrying a protective edge. "And now that you mention it, I've noticed he treats paranormal beings differently. Always has this... look when dealing with them."

Her heart did a little skip at the protective note in his voice. Since when did he start caring about her?

Dominic continued, his jaw tightening. "And those photos he showed you? I've never seen them in any official file."

"So, what you're saying is..." A grin spread across Tabitha's face. "We need to do some good old-fashioned stalking like you were doing to me?"

"Surveillance," he corrected, but his lips twitched. "Official police surveillance."

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DOMINIC

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