001 Playtime Is Over

"Gin tonic. Golden." Gave the bar a slight beat with his knuckles, a man called, waiting with his eyes fell casually on the woman next to him.

She WAS an eye catcher.

"Yes, sir." The bartender took a bottle of fine Golden gin from the top shelf and started with his order. Obviously, the bartender knew the man's high standard from his frequency here.

"Hello, handsome." The woman was encouraged by his look, and she tossed her silk-smooth body at his, shaking the almost empty glass in her hand.

He curved his lips at her gesture.

Didn't pander to her but nor did he refuse, Erebus merely told the bartender: "Give this fair lady whatever she wants."

The woman was very pleased: "Now, to whom am I betokening this gratitude?"

"Erebus."

"Ma'am." The bartender hinted at her for an instruction on what drink to pour.

"I always have my eyes on the best goods." The woman said with her eyes fixed on Erebus, tiptoeing as she leaned in for his lips.

"That's a fine habit." Said Erebus. But instead of the kiss, he took her wrist and slid out from her pressing body, leaving the woman flung to the seat behind him, "Me, too."

Erebus took his drink from the bartender and bowed a little to the woman: "Please, enjoy your drink."

The woman looked furious as her face turned red ashamed, but she only glared at Erebus as he left for the poker table.

Knowing a bit about drinks himself, Erebus only orders the basic one -- gin tonic -- when he was out. It was the hardest to mess up.

"Ten million." Erebus said, sipping at his simple drink with his eyes low as he took a seat on the poker table.

The table fell silent instantly.

The dealer paused a bit, and nodded at the crowd. Soon, some gamers left, and surprisingly, some new ones sat down. It was a rarely seen full table--

Seven players were in seats, and the game began.

"Fold." Dealer called as Erebus flipped his cards.

"Fold." The players began to exchanged weird looks because it seemed as if Erebus didn't even pay much attention to the cards.

It was a great way to throw away money, but other than that, odd.

"Fold."

"Fold."

...

He had been folding for a while, and the shock of him calling for a ten-million-call game was wearing off. People started to feel like he knew little about poker, and his call was merely a stupid show off.

If the audience were not there for the hope that this arrogant man was to embarrass himself, they were now.

"Two million." It was his call, and he made it two from the start.

The audience took a huge inhale at his call because--

He didn't even look at his cards this time.

They all fell in to silence, and now the decision were the others.

Folding now gives Erebus six million back easily. But if they follow, then they are actually the ones paying to see his cards!

Erebus smirked on his own and took a sip, while the other six players took their time!

Only one folded, and the pot got up to 22 million.

"Clubs four, hearts eight, and hearts Ace."

The cards were dealt, and the game was on.

Erebus was the first in order, and everyone was staring at him as he took a quick peek at his cards.

"Check."

The audience exhaled a disappointed "aww" and shook their heads. Check after such a high-profile call meant that he was taking a step back--

What he just saw was not good.

"Call." The call was three and a half million this time.

"Raise." And someone raised it to 5, leaving it even harder for the rest.

"Fold."

"Call."

"Fold."

Three folded this round, guess huge money raised not only greed but also fear.

"Call." The dealer called, eyes on Erebus.

He called by the end of that turn!

The audience were now in complete silence for this mysterious man, AND for the forty some million pot.

"The turn is a two of spade!"

It was NOT looking good for those who were expecting on pairs or straights.

The audience were now looking at Erebus with obvious smirking looks, and that was when a woman approached him--

"My--" The woman hesitated: "E-Erebus."

She was not any less pretty than the woman who threw herself at Erebus by the bar.

"Themis." Erebus looked up and gave her a smile, with one of his slender fingers tipping slightly at his cards.

He didn't seem too annoyed.

But the audience knew, it was NOT the best time for him to be disturbed. And they were obviously amused at not only this turn of cards, but also this turn of events.

He checked again. Some of the audience shook their heads, but some of them realized that this just might be his strategy all along.

Another player also followed this strategy and checked. The next player folded, and them, all the attention of the crowd was focused on the remining player temporarily.

He looked nervous and anxious.

It was a lot of money as of now, and he put in a large part of that amount no less. Took his time, he finally put the chips in--

"Raise." He raised it to 10 million!

How did this work now?! This sudden turn lit the audience up!!

The biggest cards in there was the ace of hearts, and the next in line was the eight of spades. So he must had a double eight or maybe, a double ace in hand for him to make that bold move!

They all turned to look at Erebus--

And he was smirking.

His expression was never nervous, nor heavy, nor showing any of an emotion really since he sat down there, but now, he was smirking.

It was his turn again.

He was rubbing a chip between his fingers as his eyes fell on the player that was next in the line, thinking.

"Raise."

The man that checked after Erebus just now folded without much hesitation.

Erebus didn't back out, meaning he was either winning, or he was bluffing.

It was pretty clear by now that he had been fishing. And the player who checked with him was saved by the one who raised in the last turn.

Even though he put in a lot already, it was time to cut the loss.

The one remining player, a short, slim man threw his head up and stared at Erebus, who was now leaning sideways, showing the woman who just approached him his cards!

"You--!" The man was infuriated at his careless act.

"Erebus, how could you--" The woman looked worried, and the short man smirked.

Erebus frowned only for a second, but then he returned to his careless expression as he pulled the woman to sit on his lap.

"Lord--!" The woman, Themis, exclaimed and covered her mouth with one hand. Her face turned so red as she struggled to find the right place for her hands.

"Shhhh..." Erebus said with a soft voice as he patted her on the thigh, "Put your arm around my neck."

Themis hesitated for a second before she put her left arm around his neck.

Erebus looked down at her shivering hand that was pressing against his chest: "Am I that cold?"

"..." The woman didn't reply. She was obviously in too huge of a shock because of this intimate position to say anything.

And that was Erebus's intention. He was having fun, and Themis's nagging was ruining it.

Now confident -- convinced by the woman's words and Erebus's frowning -- that he had a better hand, the short man rushed Erebus: "Can we please--"

"It's no manner to rush a lady." Erebus cut him off coldly.

The man opened his mouth but immediately closed them when he saw Erebus's eyes.

They were the eyes of a man that was NOT to be crossed.

The short man turned to the dealer: "Can we please go on?!"

The dealer hinted Erebus.

"Raise."

The short man glared at Erebus. He couldn't tell. It could always be the truth, or a bluff. That's the beauty of this game.

Erebus was smirking at him.

Erebus's raise put all the chips in front of the short man in -- IF, the short man wanted to call. He didn't even have a chance to raise.

Erebus's count was precise.

Erebus could have -- but he didn't -- force him to fold. If he raised any higher than that, the short man would be forced to fold by the rules.

But that won't be a pretty win. That was just buying the pot.

"You are bluffing!" The short man yelled.

"Is that a question?" Erebus raised his hand for his glass, but Themis was too nervous being in his arms to notice the blood spreading on his shirt.

The short man was outraged, but there was little he could do.

"Call." The man chose to buy a look at Erebus's hand.

The last turn was dealt, and it was the king of spades.

The short man threw his cards on the table, and it was two aces. No wonder he was that confident, it WAS a great hand.

"Show me yours!" He was not in the mood to mind any manners.

"If you had asked nicely," Erebus flipped his cards with two fingers in s swift move, "I would have told you earlier."

It was a three of spades and a five of diamonds.

He took the 150 million pot with a straight, a hand slightly bigger than the three aces the short man was now squeezing in his hand.

With a horrible start no less!

The short man wheeled on the crowd which was laughing at him now and stormed out of there without a word. He knew now Erebus's toy had been him instead of the cards from the beginning!

Erebus flipped the cards into the middle of the table as he turned to the woman on his lap: "Well, that was fun."

Poker was Erebus's way of blowing off steam, so they never bother him here unless it's really important.

"You wound!" Themis stood up and straight by his side, only to notice under his ribs where her legs were pressed against was now red and wet.

"Minor injury. It will heal." Erebus waved his hand with an indifferent look.

"But Lord--" Themis protested. Her Lord was her ONE weakness, and she couldn't keep a cool head knowing her was injured.

"Themis. What was so important that you had to chase me down here?" Erebus sighed in a tired voice. Did she come here to just nag him?

"Sorry, my Lord." Themis bowed at him a bit, and said with a low voice that was only for his ear:

"The King has summoned you."