Blood & Winter

Chapter 26

Morning arrived, and the moment I opened my eyes there was only one thought on my mind. How was Rauel? 

With everything that I had fallen into place last night with Nicklas, he had slipped my mind. Your a shit friend, Cass.

Glancing at the sleeping God like man next to me, I grudgingly rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. August came in and wrapped his arms around me, kissing my neck, sending shivers up and down my spine.

"I need to go see Rauel." I turned gently kissing him on his lips before leaving the bathroom to go get dressed. I got dressed quickly in a warm sweater and a pair of skinny jeans, and walked barefoot downstairs. Down the hall. And down to the dungeons where I could hear Michael and his amazing laugh from down the hallway.

"Oh man, you have to tell that one to August, he would die of laughter!" I heard Rauel join in, his laugh full of adoration.  Uh oh.

I slowly opened the door to the room that I knew they were in, and I walked in to see something that I never could have imagined in a hundred years.

Rauel was sitting lazily on a couch, with Michael resting his head in his lap, while Rauel ran his fingers through his beautiful curly hair.

Michael glanced towards me as I stepped into the room.  Rauel immediately jumped up from the couch. A blush spreading across his beautiful face.

"Hey." He stood across from me, his hands twisting together. He was nervous. Rauel was never nervous.
"Look Cassie, babe, please don't hate me. I know you are pissed at me. I..."

I held my hand up, motioning for him to stop talking. I walked quickly to him, and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him to me tightly.

"Shh. It's ok. I'm not mad anymore. I know you did this partly for me. There are no words to describe how much this...how much you mean to me. Your my family. I love you so much." I felt myself choke up. Rauel returned the embrace warmly, lifting me up in his arms to spin me around.

"I knew you would forgive me eventually. If you thought that I was going to let you live a million years without me, you were insane.  I may be all the family you have left, but you were the only one, I ever had  to begin with." He set me down, and walked back over to the couch, where he and Michael resumed the exact position they had been in when I walked in only moments before.

I raised an eyebrow at the scene before me. An aura seemed to surround the two exquisitely beautiful men sitting before me. They seemed to fit perfectly together. I felt like a third wheel.

"So, um, I guess you feel fine? No more urges to rip out my friends throats?"
I winked at him, but his eyes showed the guilt he was feeling. "Have you talked to Emily yet?"

"No, I don't even know how to begin to apologise for what I did. She must be so pissed at me." We all turned towards the door as it opened.

"Nah, I'm good darling. You better just be grateful for the fact that I don't scar."
Emily walked in as if nothing had ever happened between them. She plopped herself down on the couch next to him, pulling Michael's legs across her lap.

I stared at the three in amusement.  Emily glanced at Rauel,  and then down at Michael.  She took in the loving way Rauel ran his fingers through Michael's hair. She glanced between them, and then I saw a look of understanding pass over her face.

"Holy shit, Michael... is he your ... promised?" Emily's eyes were wide with wonder. Michael glanced up at Rauel,  with such a look of love, that even I was momentarily jealous.