Chapter 4 The Royal Black Sheep

Kassia lounged on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her fingers absentmindedly twirling a strand of her long, dark hair. She could still hear the echoes of her fight with Caleb ringing in her ears. The shouting, the accusations, the finality of it all. The relationship had been crumbling for months, but now that it was officially over, Kassia felt... free.

She sat up with a sigh, glancing around her lavishly decorated room. It was everything a royal princess should have-ornate furniture, gold-trimmed mirrors, heavy velvet curtains-but Kassia hated it. She hated the formality, the expectation, and most of all, the suffocating royal responsibilities that came with her title. As the youngest daughter of the vampire king, she was always the odd one out. The black sheep.

Her siblings, all polished and perfect, embraced their roles in the kingdom, eager to please the court and uphold their father's legacy. But Kassia had never been like them. From the moment she could walk, she rebelled against everything royal life stood for. Etiquette lessons, politics, court appearances-it all made her feel like she was drowning. She was the princess who didn't want to be a princess.

Luckily for her, King Harry had plenty of children to keep him busy. Kassia's older brothers and sisters were more than happy to take on the weight of the crown, leaving Kassia to live her life the way she wanted. And that was exactly what she did.

Caleb had been just another part of that rebellion. A human-something entirely forbidden within vampire society. Their relationship had been exciting at first, but over time, Caleb grew more controlling, more possessive. Tonight, they'd had their final argument, and Kassia had walked out for good.

"Who needs Caleb anyway?" she muttered to herself as she stood up and walked over to her closet.

She rifled through her clothes, pushing aside the formal gowns and designer dresses her mother insisted she wear. None of that was her style. Kassia preferred something simpler, something that let her blend in when she snuck out to the human clubs. Grabbing a leather jacket and a pair of ripped jeans, she quickly changed and glanced at herself in the mirror. Perfect. She looked nothing like the vampire princess she was supposed to be, and that was exactly how she liked it.

It was Friday night, and if there was ever a time to blow off some steam, it was now. After the drama with Caleb, all Kassia wanted was a night out with no strings attached, no responsibilities, and no one reminding her of who she was supposed to be. Just one night to forget it all.

Grabbing her phone, she shot a quick message to her friends, Allison and Beth. They knew her all too well and wouldn't be surprised by her request.

Kassia: Club tonight? Need to shake off this breakup.

It didn't take long for them to respond.

Allison: Hell yes. Be there in 30.

Beth: Girl, we've got you. Let's make it a night.

Kassia grinned as she slipped her phone into her pocket. Her friends understood her better than anyone. They didn't care that she was a princess or that her life was tied to a royal family with centuries of history and politics. To them, she was just Kassia-the wild, free-spirited girl who wanted nothing more than to live her life her own way.

Thirty minutes later, Kassia met Allison, Hannah and Beth outside their favorite spot, a club hidden in the heart of the city. The flashing lights and thumping bass immediately made her feel lighter, and as they stepped inside, the familiar energy of the place washed over her.

The dance floor was packed with people, humans mostly, moving to the rhythm of the music. Kassia had always loved the chaos of it-the way the music seemed to erase everything else, the way no one cared who you were or where you came from. Here, she wasn't Kassia, the rebellious princess. She was just another face in the crowd, free from the weight of her title.

"All right, spill," Allison said, pulling Kassia over to the bar as they ordered their drinks. "What happened with Caleb?"

Kassia rolled her eyes as she leaned against the bar. "Ugh, same old story. He was getting too controlling, I wasn't having it, and we got into a huge fight. It's over."

Beth, who had been scanning the crowd, turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Finally. I never liked that guy. Always thought he was kind of a douche."

Kassia laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, well, you were right. I should've ended things sooner."

Hannah handed her a drink, grinning mischievously. "Well, tonight's about forgetting all that. No more Caleb, no more drama. Just us, some good music, and maybe a little trouble."

Kassia took a sip of her drink, already feeling the tension from earlier begin to fade. "That's exactly what I need."

The three of them made their way to the dance floor, where the music pulsed through the air, and the crowd moved as one. Kassia let herself get lost in the rhythm, her body moving to the beat as the night blurred around her. For once, she didn't have to think about her family, her responsibilities, or the expectations everyone had of her. Here, she was just a girl trying to have fun.

As the night went on, they laughed, danced, and drank, with Kassia feeling more and more like herself. She wasn't a princess tonight-she was just Kassia, free from the weight of her royal lineage.

Her friends start mingling with guys leaving her to herself. Kassia pushed off every guy that showed any interest. She wasn't in the mood for that

But even as she let herself enjoy the moment, there was a part of her that couldn't help but think about what her life would be like if she didn't have to return to the palace. What if she could live like this all the time, without the constant reminder of who she was supposed to be?

She shook off the thought. That wasn't her reality, and there was no use dwelling on it. Tonight was about freedom, even if it was just temporary.

Beth returns to her side with a guy she was dancing with

screaming. "Let's get another round!" Kassia grinned and nodded. They made their way back to the bar, and as Kassia reached for her drink, she caught sight of someone watching her