Crush (Crave #2) - Tracy Wolff Page 0,62

their life as a Jaxon Vega fangirl?”

I ignore him.

“It’s absolutely possible,” the Bloodletter assures me. “And the longer he stays in you, the harder it’s going to be for you to get him out—especially if he decides he doesn’t want to go.”

Hudson runs a hand through his hair, his fingers tangling in the longer, wavy strands on top. “Believe me, that will not be a problem, Grace. I want out of you at least as much as you want me out.”

“What happens if he decides to stay?” I ask. “I mean, how does it happen?”

The Bloodletter studies me for several seconds, as if weighing how much she wants to say. “First, he’ll start to control you more often—and for longer periods of time. When he lets you go, it’ll be harder for you to remember who you are, harder to fit back into your everyday life, until it will seem easier to just let him take over. Until one day you just give up completely.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Grace. You have to trust me.” Hudson sounds almost as frantic as I feel. “Don’t build the wall. Don’t let her lock me up.”

I turn and stare into Hudson’s eyes. He’s stopped pacing now, and we both just hold the other’s gaze for what seems like minutes. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but as he’s proven, he can hear every one of my thoughts. I wish I could trust you, but you know that’s impossible.

His shoulders slump, but he nods. “I know.” He must think the words this time, because his lips don’t move, yet I hear each one like a gunshot.

“Don’t listen to him,” Jaxon tells me urgently. “Whatever he’s saying to you is a lie. You can’t trust Hudson. You can’t—” He breaks off all of a sudden, his eyes wide with shock as he presses a hand to his chest.

“Stop him, Grace.” The Bloodletter’s voice slices like a lash.

“Stop what?” I demand as Jaxon stumbles forward a few steps before falling to his knees.

“You’re killing him,” she answers hoarsely, and that’s when I realize my hand is outstretched toward Jaxon, power like I’ve never felt before racing through my body.

I gasp, drop my hand. But Jaxon continues to clutch at his chest.

“Stop it!” I yell at Hudson. And when that doesn’t work, I beg. “Please stop! Don’t hurt him. Please don’t make me hurt him.”

And just like that, the flow of power evaporates.

“Jaxon?” I whisper as he slowly drops his hands back to his sides. “Are you all right?”

“You’re a coward,” he answers, looking at me with such contempt that it bruises something deep inside me. At least until I realize it’s Hudson he’s talking to, not me. “Hiding inside a girl who doesn’t even understand her own power yet, using her to do your dirty work. You’re pathetic.”

“Fuck you!” Hudson snarls, and he sounds like a totally different person—one more than capable of doing all the terrible things Jaxon once told me he did. “You don’t know anything about me!”

I don’t repeat what he said to Jaxon. In fact, after what he just used me to do, I refuse to acknowledge him at all.

“How did he get through the cage?” Jaxon demands as he turns on the Bloodletter. “You said we had to put Grace in the cage to neutralize his powers. How did he get through?”

“I’m not sure, though I would imagine it has something to do with the mating bond. Even magic this strong”—she gestures to the bars between us—“can’t neutralize the bond completely. He must have found a way to use it to reach you.”

“But walling him up will stop him, right? He’ll never be able to hurt Jaxon like that again?” I choke out the words.

“It will stop him,” the Bloodletter answers. “For at least a week, maybe even two. Hopefully it will be long enough for you to do what needs to be done to banish him completely.”

“Don’t do it, Grace,” Hudson tells me. “You can’t trust her.”

Maybe not, but I can’t trust you, either, so I’m going to go with the person who can help me the most.

“This is not how things were supposed to happen.” He shakes his head. “Why won’t you trust me?”

Maybe because you’re a raging psychopath, and I am tired of doing your bidding.

I turn to the Bloodletter. “I’m ready. Show me how to build the wall.”

35

I’m Going to Wash

That Psychopath

Right Out of

My Hair

The Bloodletter assesses me for several seconds before she answers. “Every