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The Cassidy McCabe Mysteries

#1 Secret's Shadow
#2 Satan's Silence
#3 Vendetta's Victim
#4 Wanton's Web
#5 Cat's Claw
#6 Death's Domain
#7 Wedding's Widow
#8 Blood's Burden
#9 Murder's Madness
#10 Healer's Heresy


Blood's Burden hardcover imageBlood's Burden
Chapter One

“You can’t just leave!” Bryce looked at Kit across the dining room table.

“Sweetie, I hate to tell you, but I can do anything I want.” The young woman inserted a small bite of the lasagna Bryce had made into her darkly outlined mouth.

“Two days ago I checked to make sure your calendar was clear. I mean, after all, the whole idea of this dinner was for you to meet my parents.”

Parents, Cassidy McCabe thought, a lump rising in her throat. Never thought I’d hear that word fall from Bryce’s lips. At least not in regard to Zach and me.

“I told you I have a rehearsal tonight,” Kit said in a playful tone. “You must’ve forgotten. Here you are—only a sophomore in college—and your mind’s going already.”

“No you didn’t!” Bryce jabbed his finger at her. “You promised you’d come home early and help me cook. Instead, you waltz in just about the time we’re ready to sit down at the table, then five minutes into dinner you spring this rehearsal on me. Which you never mentioned before.”

“The lasagna’s really good, sweetie.” Kit turned toward Cassidy. “Don’t you think it’s good?”

If you say “yes,” it’ll look like you condone her bad behavior.

“Everything’s delicious,” Cassidy replied. “But it’s too bad you’re going to disappoint Bryce by leaving early.”

No, that was wrong too. Sounds like you’re trying to rescue him. Like you don’t think he can handle Kit on his own.

Cassidy twisted her wineglass on the linen placemat. She didn’t mind couples slicing and dicing each other in her therapy office, a place where she had the power to stop them. But she felt uneasy being thrust into the role of spectator while Kit and Bryce went at each other in his townhouse. Cassidy had no authority here at all. She glanced at Zach, who was watching the exchange with a frown on his face. Well, for once he hasn’t withdrawn into his detached-journalist-bystander persona.

“Goddammit, Kit, if you’re going to leave, just do it,” Bryce said.

“I’ve still got five minutes. And besides, it’s fun getting to know your parents.” Turning to Zach, she said, “One thing I don’t understand is why you’re not helping Bryce with his college expenses. I hardly speak to my folks and they shell out all the money I want.”

Zach said amiably, “I can’t think of any reason to discuss this with you, Kit.”

Bryce banged his water glass on the table. “Kit! You know I’ve never wanted to take money from Zach. Why should I? I have a trust fund of my own.”

Kit continued as if Bryce hadn’t spoken. “I don’t think Bryce should have to spend down his trust when he has a family that’s perfectly capable of helping him out.”

Actually, we’re not. Not since we started rehabbing the house.

“What the fuck’s the matter with you?” Bryce demanded, a vein starting to pulse along the side of his rough-hewn face. “First you say you told me about the rehearsal when you didn’t, and now you’re hassling Zach. When you get into one of these moods, I don’t even like to be around you.”

Kit’s lips curved into an icy smile. “Well, sweetie, if being with me is too hard on you, I can always find someone else to shack up with.”

A slight shiver ran down Cassidy’s arms. Using threats to keep Bryce in line. To throw him off balance and make him insecure so he always gives in to her. It reminded Cassidy of what life had been like with her first husband.

“Kit, I believe you said you have a rehearsal to go to,” Zach said.

Cassidy felt a tic of annoyance. You’re the one who’s supposed to be the expert at people problems. Zach’s stealing your thunder.

“Yeah, just go on—get out of here.” Bryce sat tall, his body rigid with anger.

A contrite look suddenly appeared on Kit’s finely contoured face. Leaning closer, she laid her hand on Bryce’s arm. “I’m sorry—I realize how much this evening meant to you and now I’ve spoiled it. Sometimes things come out of my mouth and I don’t even know why I’m saying them.”

“Just go to the damn rehearsal.”

Kit stood up, her gaze fixed on Bryce. She was a tall, trim woman with close-cropped hair—dyed black—heavy black makeup, and long black nails. She wore a sheer blouse, only two buttons fastened, and her small, uncontained breasts were visible through the fabric. It looked as if she’d taken a scissors to the bottom hem, cropping it to reveal as much skin as the law would allow.

A vampirish femme fatale who sucks Bryce’s blood for the fun of it.

Dragging her feet, Kit went into the entryway and started up the stairs.

The others sat in silence waiting for her to leave. The evening’s not a total bust. After all, this is the first time Bryce has ever wanted to introduce any girlfriends or show off any townhouses. And he’s being downright friendly to Zach.

When Bryce first arrived at their door a couple of years earlier he was a boy, filled with hatred toward the father he’d never met; a hatred instilled by his mother. Later, Bryce came to understand that his mother’s stories were untrue, though old habits die hard and his hostility toward his father had never entirely gone away.

Kit came downstairs and stood in the entryway facing the dining room. “I’m sorry I screwed things up for all of you.” Blowing a kiss to Bryce, she left.

“Well,” Cassidy said, letting out a breath, “that was fun.”

“God, I feel stupid.” Bryce propped his elbows on the table and pressed the fingers of both hands against the sides of his face.

“I guess we’re done.” Zach got to his feet and opened the second bottle of wine he’d brought. Refilling their glasses, he said, “Let’s go sit in the living room.”

Zach’s doing good. Getting us away from the scene of the crime.

Cassidy and Bryce followed Zach across the entryway. Zach was just under six foot, broad-shouldered, with a waist that had thickened slightly in the years Cassidy had known him. Bryce was three inches taller, with a lean, flexible build. The only resemblance between the two lay in their bronze-toned skin and straight dark hair.

In the living room a black sofa stood against the far wall, with two black and white plaid chairs facing it at angles. Bryce had painted one wall black, and hung it with large primitive masks. The other three walls were a deep red. Cassidy liked the drama but was repelled by the menacing expressions of the masks.

The boy flopped down on the sofa. Cassidy and Zach opted for the chairs.

“Do you and Kit get into fights like this very often?” Cassidy asked, her therapist part coming to the fore.

“Not that much.” He paused. “I suppose you think I’m nuts for having anything to do with her.”

I think anyone who’d get involved with that drama queen should be required to take hormone suppressants.

“No, of course not.”

Zach laced his fingertips together on his wide chest. “I have a little trouble understanding the appeal. Maybe that’s because I’ve never been attracted to women who go around PMSing all the time.”
Cassidy threw him a dirty look. As if once-a-month moodiness was worse that testosterone-driven violence.

“You don’t understand,” Bryce said fiercely. “Most of the time she’s really sweet. She leaves little love notes around the house. She makes me laugh and cheers me up when I’m down. It’s just that she has these anxiety spells. And she can’t stand it if she feels like I’m controlling things. I think that’s what set her off tonight. She felt like I was forcing her to meet my family.”

“A lot of relationships get off to a rocky start,” Cassidy said. “Zach and I had a terrible time at the beginning.”

Zach shot her a look of surprise.

He always forgets what that first year was like.

“How long have you and Kit been together?” Cassidy asked.

“About three months. When I first met her, she was camping out in her girlfriend’s studio apartment. Her family has this humongous house in Winnetka, but she refused to stay there and didn’t have any place of her own.”

“When you fight,” Cassidy said, “does it ever turn physical?”

Bryce raked his fingers through his dark crewcut. “Sometimes she comes flying at me with her fists, but she’s never hurt me or anything.”

“Have you ever hit her?” Zach’s voice was gentle.

A long silence. “Just once. It was late at night and I was tired and she wouldn’t let up.” He gazed at the floor. “I slapped her. I didn’t even see it coming—I just did it.”

Yeah, but if a person gets pushed far enough, it’s likely that person will lash back. Bryce couldn’t possibly have the resources to handle someone like Kit.

Zach said, “You know there was that one time in my life when I got out of control and got physical with your mother.” Xandra had been pregnant with Bryce when it happened, although Zach hadn’t realized he’d fathered a child until more than seventeen years later. “Ever since then, whenever I start to get too angry, I walk away.”

Hate it when he does it to you but you know he’s right.

A defiant look came over Bryce’s face. “You think I should break up with her, don’t you?”

Cassidy jumped in quickly before Zach could endorse the idea. “You’re the only one who knows what’s best for you. No one else can tell you what to do.”

The boy flashed her a grateful smile. “You’ve only seen her bad side. Most of the time she’s really cool. And I love her. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love Kit.”

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