Page 8 of Paws and Claws

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?"

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