40__Challenge Accepted!!

Kamilla straightened her back as her horse trotted down the street towards the suspicious building she’d seen Rogan disappear into.
There seemed to be an aura of merriment in the air as couples staggered about arm in arm, houses of entertainment belted loud music and the night breeze carried a bit of magic.

“Ooooh, yer horse is *beauuutiful*!” exclaimed a drunken lady, jumping right in Kamilla’s way.

With a gasp, Kamilla pulled on her brute’s reins, making him stop as the lady, threw her arms around his neck.
“Uh, ma’am?!” Kamilla exclaimed, leaning down to look disbelievingly at the lady. “That’s like jumping in front of moving traffic! Have you got a death wish?”

The lady grinned lovingly at the horse and waved a hand at Kamilla. She narrowed her eyes at Kamilla’s black brute and pointed at his brown eyes. “Alright, horsie! I challenge ye to a drinking contest! Ye chicken?!”

Kamilla made a face. “Yeah, it looks like you’ve already won, lady. Move!” Kamilla tried to manoeuver her horse through the crowds, wishing there was a huge carriage she could have ridden behind to avoid the crowd.

“Ye there! On the horse!”

Kamilla stopped to glance back and noticed that a bunch of the lady’s drunk friends had emerged from their house of entertainment.
They drunkenly swayed together like a bunch of reeds in the wind and Kamilla prayed for patience.
How were they even drunk in the first place? Hadn’t Demetrius said Vamp’s didn’t get drunk on alcohol?
“What is this? A kingdom of drunkards?!” she muttered, glancing back at her destination. She was still about two buildings away. She had to go!

“Heard that!” yelled one of the ridiculously handsome, unbelievably drunk men. “Got sharp ears, me,” he bragged with a laugh. He pointed at Kamilla and came up to her horse. “You. Oh, yerrr beautiful! Got fine, red cheeks like a human! Come drink with us, little love! I’ll make this a night to remember.”
Kamilla looked at him with a flat expression. “I’m not your little love. Now move.”

“Take the challenge! One dop and yer out!” yelled the drunken lady as Kamilla rode on to the building.

Riding up to the entrance, she peered into the dark hall, but just as she was about to climb off her horse, a Vampire appeared with his hand held up. His hair was bright neon green, nearly glowing at the same intensity as his eyes.
Kamilla gasped in surprise. He tilted his head at her, not bothering to retract his fangs nor to wipe at the blood dripping down his chin. He actually had the audacity to swipe his tongue through the redness.
“Stop,” he said in a bored tone. “Who goes there?”
Kamilla looked around, speechless. She quickly cleared her tone and leaned forward. “I uh… I need to go in.”
The guy shook his head firmly. “No can do. It’s private, little love.”

Kamilla sighed and glanced away for a minute. “Look,” she said to him. “I have business in there. If y—”
“It’s. *Private*. Little. Love!” he emphasized, making Kamilla blink in surprise.
“Well, you don’t have to shout!” she told him.
With a longsuffering sigh, the man ran his hand through his hair and regarded her. “I’m in the middle of some very important business myself. So I’ll thank ye to leave and come back with a membership. Alright?”
He turned to leave and Kamilla leaned over desperately. “Wait! How do I get membership?!”
The guy glanced at her. “Simple. Become a member of the Cassius Royals.” With mocking laughter at the impossible mission he’d just given her, the Vamp disappeared into the dark.

Kamilla clicked her tongue in annoyance, frowning darkly into the entrance. Rather suddenly, something occurred to her. Kamilla blinked. Wait.
If only Cassius Royals could go in there… how on earth had Rogan gotten in? The question slammed about in her head and Kamilla bit her lip in frustration. She was more confused than a priest a rave party.
What in the hell was going on? Perhaps Rogan was working for the Cassius royals to overthrow Viktor? That’s how he’d managed to have a group of Cassius Vamps attack her and Viktor. Kamilla nodded. That’s the only thing that made sense.
She had to get in there to find out! She just had to see what was going on. If Rogan insisted on playing dirty, why couldn’t she? If she got evidence of his working with the enemy Kingdom, couldn’t Viktor kill him for treason or whatever Kings did centuries ago?

Kamilla nodded with determination and quickly climbed off the horse. She hadn’t even taken a step toward the entrance when the Vampire appeared again, his eyes dark with annoyance.
“Crap…” she murmured.
His gaze focused on her. “Listen, little love,” he muttered darkly. “I guard this doorway. You know what that means? Every time unauthorised little ladies like yerself try to get in, I appear automatically! Now I told ye I was busy!”
Kamilla jumped when he practically yelled the last word. Shrinking away with a hand to her racing heart, she peeked at him from under the hood with a glare. “Geez… o-okay, already!”
He narrowed his eyes and held up a warning finger before turning around and disappearing again.

Kamilla huffed in frustration and glanced up the road. The drunk lady and her friends were still there, having a little dance competition of some sort.
The girl currently twirling about in their little circle of ambience, stopped when she noticed Kamilla watching them.

With a gasp, she pointed at her. “Yer horse lady’s back to have a dop!” she yelled excitedly.

Kamilla’s eyes widened as they all turned excitedly to her. Before she could escape, they’d hurried down the road and surrounded her, the drunk lady’s arms immediately going around Kamilla’s horse.
“Oooh, she’s got a fine brute! What say, horsie? Challenge accepted?”
“Have a dop then, little love!” cheered the handsome guy, nudging Kamilla’s shoulder as he and his grinning friend leaned on each other to avoid falling in a drunken heap.
Kamilla looked away from the two men and closed her eyes with a sigh. These kids, honestly!
Of course, they were probably two centuries older than her, but that was like being a youngster around here. And since she was the only sober one, she’d accept the role of responsible adult.
“Look here, kids,” said Kamilla sternly. “Alcohol is bad. Now go home and sleep it off.”

The dancing girl leaned over with a mischievous smile. “Were ye trying to go into the private pub, then?” she asked, poking Kamilla in the side. “Oooh, yer *bad*! Which one ye want to seduce? Eh? The Prince? Or the villain?”
Kamilla shuffled away from the prodding fingers tickling her and wrapped her arms protectively around her sides. “I don’t want to se—”
Kamilla stopped speaking and closed her mouth as an idea formed in her head. She looked back at the dancing girl with a slow grin. “Oh… so do you know who’s in there?”
They all nodded. “Of course!” yelled the handsome guy’s handsome friend. “Who doesn’t?! Are ye new here?”
Kamilla blinked and quickly shook her head. “Of course not! I’m like… totally a local! Y…ye understand me?”
She cringed at her own terrible accent impersonation, but breathed easy when they all nodded and cheered in approval.

“Have a dop with us then!” said the drunk, horse-loving lady. She staggered around Kamilla’s horse, pushing her wavy black hair out of her face. “Horsie won’t drink!” She pointed her finger where she saw a third Kamilla, a whole twenty degrees from where Kamilla actually stood. “I challenge ye to a drinking contest! Yer not chicken, are ye?!”
Kamilla sighed impatiently and tugged her hood forward. “No, I’m not chicken at all, I’m a damn person! Now tell me what goes on in the private pub. Who goes in there and what do they do? Oh, and is *every single* person who goes in there definitely a royal?!”

The handsome guy waved a finger in her face. “No, no, no, little love. Have a drink first! Come on then! Have ye a drink and I’ll tell ye everything ye want to know!”
“Yeah!” cheered the others.
Kamilla sighed and glanced at the pub blasting music behind them. Oh, damn it!
She looked back at the hopeful group. It was okay, right? Last time she’d had wine back at the castle and it hadn’t been that bad. She hadn’t even had a hangover! Hah. She could handle this.
“Alright.” Kamilla nodded. “Challenge accepted!”