Page 48 of Paws and Claws

"Meet me at my place tonight?" The words came out quickly, more intimate than he'd intended.

"Why Sheriff, are you propositioning me?"

"For the investigation," he clarified, though his body hummed at the suggestion in her voice. "Though I wouldn't be opposed to..."

"To what?" He could hear her smile.

"You're impossible," he growled, but there was no heat in it.

"You like it." She paused. "I'll be there at eight. Try not to arrest me when you see the IDs."

"No promises." But they both knew he wouldn't. Something had shifted between them, turning their antagonistic relationship into something charged with possibility.

After hanging up, Dominic sat in his squad car, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. His lion paced, drawn to Tabitha's wild magic and even wilder spirit. A month ago, he would have been appalled at the idea of using fake IDs. Now he found himself almost looking forward to whatever scheme she had planned.

He checked his watch. Five hours until she'd show up at his door. Five hours to get his head straight and remember they had a job to do. But even as he tried to focus on the case, all he could think about was the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him, and how much he couldn't wait to see that smile again.

Dominic adjusted his collar one final time in the mirror, leaving the top few buttons of his crisp white shirt undone. His dark slacks and polished dress shoes completed the look - refined yet relaxed enough for a high-end club. His lion stalked beneath his skin, already anticipating the evening ahead.

The knock at his door came precisely at eight. When he opened it, his jaw dropped. Tabitha stood there in a black cocktail dress that hugged every curve of her body like a second skin. The neckline dipped low enough to make his mouth go dry, and her purple hair cascaded over one bare shoulder in elegant waves.

"See something you like, Sheriff?" Her blue eyes sparkled.

"You look..." His voice came out breathier than intended. "Stunning."

A light blush colored her cheeks as she stepped past him into his home. The scent of her perfume mixed with her natural magic made his head spin. "You clean up pretty well yourself."

He caught her hand before she could move further away. "These IDs better be good."

"Please." She pressed against him, sliding the fake cards into his front pocket. "Have a little faith."

The drive to The Midnight Underground was torture, with Tabitha's dress riding up her thighs every time she shifted in her seat. Dominic's lion wanted nothing more than to pull over and show her exactly what she was doing to him, but he forced himself to focus on the road.

The club's entrance was guarded by two large bouncers checking IDs. Dominic's arm slid possessively around Tabitha's waist as they approached. To his relief, the guards barely glanced at their cards before waving them through.

Inside, the club pulsed with expensive lighting and even more expensive clientele. Crystal chandeliers cast rainbow patterns across the dance floor while private booths lined the walls, shrouded in shadow.

"We should split up," Tabitha whispered, her lips brushing his ear. "Cover more ground."

His grip tightened on her waist. "No. We stick together." The thought of her wandering alone in a club full of Hunter sympathizers made his protective instincts spike.

She turned in his arms, pressing her body flush against his. "Then dance with me. We'll look suspicious just standing here."

Dominic's lion purred as Tabitha soon pressed against him on the dance floor, her body moving sinuously to the pulsing beat. Her hands slid up his chest, her fingers playing with the open collar of his shirt.

"You're supposed to be watching for Quinn," he growled softly, even as his hands tightened on her hips.

"I am." She smiled up at him, those blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "But we need to blend in. Besides..." Her fingers traced patterns on his chest. "You're not exactly complaining."

His response died in his throat as she rolled her hips against his. The lion in him wanted to claim her right there on the dancefloor. Instead, he pulled her closer, one hand sliding up her back. "You're playing with fire, witch."

"Maybe I like getting burned."

Before he could respond, Tabitha stiffened in his arms. "There. By the VIP section."

Dominic turned them smoothly, keeping their dance going as he spotted Elina Quinn heading toward a private room. Two burly guards flanked the door.

"I've got this," Tabitha whispered. She flicked her fingers and suddenly the guards' phones started ringing simultaneously. As they fumbled with their devices, Dominic and Tabitha slipped past them into the darkened hallway.

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