Pool Shark
Playing with Fire
Chapt. 1
Go. To. Hell, Caleb!” Miranda screamed and stormed out of the bar.
Caleb raised his eyebrows briefly before bursting into sick laughter. The musky air was a warm compliment since he had just been “dumped” by a girl, who he was “in love” with. He barely even liked her, he never loved anyone. Even though he drew the line with Miranda, she’d always been a bitch anyway. No matter, there were plenty of fish in the sea. Not that any of them were special anyway.
Caleb turned back to his drink and sipped. The hot rush of liquor and blood exploded a delightful pleasure in his mouth and all the way down his throat. Miranda hadn’t ruined his night, which was still young.
“Give me another round!” Yelled a customer next to Caleb. The bartender retrieved two glasses from behind her, having to stand on her toes, making her skirt hike up. The customer slapped her ass and Caleb heard her humph! He glanced at the smelly, over weight customer who was chuckling along with his friends. He was a werewolf, surprisingly, even though he reminded Caleb of a human trucker. The bartender turned around to briefly pull up her blue and black hair then continued delivering the rampaging orders from the customers. She was a captive nymph, like all the other girls that worked here. Only the prettiest nymphs were kidnapped and taken for slaves to impress and serve the people who walked in.
Caleb slightly felt bad for her, felt bad for all the other girls who worked here, because the man who owed the bar was a horrible. He’d beat the hell out of all the girls if only one of them made a mistake. But Caleb couldn’t do anything about it. If one of the girls were one of his family members or wife then he could stand up to him and tell the High Council, but he couldn’t do it out of random. Anyone who lived in the Night World couldn’t have pity on others.
That was against the Code. The Immortal Code was different then the others, but they all said: Punishment to all to have taken pity on others.
Caleb sighed and sipped at his drink again.
“What was all that commotion about?” the bartender asked in a sweet southern accent.
He looked up to see the blue haired nymph staring at him. Waiting for an answer, she cleaned a glass. “What?” he blinked, “oh, Miranda. We broke up.”
“Seemed more like she blew of them gaskets in that blond head of hers,” the nymph said, putting down the clean glass and turning to pour beer into it.
“She’s got anger issues,” Caleb murmured, sipping more of his almost empty drink.
Abruptly, the girl began filling it. “I’m Kierra, you?”
“Caleb,” he grinned, nodding in thanking her.
“It’s strange how I never yer name, even though you been comin’ here for a long time.”
“I’m not the talkative type.”
“I noticed,” she said, glancing around, “not many people here to talk to here. I mean, people with some live brain cells.”
“No kidding.”
“Luckily, we gettin’ a pool table.”
“Pool table?” Caleb’s eyebrows went up. Damn, he adored pool. He killed at it and could easily make some money off it here.
He smiled darkly.
“Yeah, probably be here by tomorrow, or the next day.”
“Great,” Caleb said, standing, “I must go now. The low amount of human blood in these drinks isn’t very satisfying,” he slid on his hood and slinked out of the bar.
The night was cold and damp. Hands in his pockets, Caleb strolled along the path, waiting for a human to come his way. His heart felt……weird and strange heaviness that was missing.
Slightly, he wished Miranda hadn’t dumped him. Only because he wanted someone to hold in his arms.
His throat tightened. I miss you, Victoria. It had been three centuries ever since she was slaughtered and he missed her more then ever, as if she died yesterday. He ran a hand through his curly blond hair, that came just a little above his shoulders. Why had fate torn them apart? He swore on his whole entire being they had been meant to be together.
That’s why he was such a cold-hearted bastard……
He was, of course, one before he met his lover but around Victoria he was as soft as a teddy bear. Victoria was the most sweetest, shy girl……..and was beautiful.
His throat tightened again and he moaned.
My life is shit
But the immortality was too sweet to let go of. The power to kill and feast……and the taste of blood was like a haven for the damned. He inhaled and exhaled, the air was strangely moist. He glanced around, then leapt into the woods. The sky was a musky gray, glooming over the dark green treetops. The land was covered with brown hay and mud. He kicked a rock and it thumped against a tree. Victoria would have lectured him about how not to hurt nature. And to shut her up, he would’ve kissed her. She’d accept the kiss and wrap her arms tightly around his neck and sometimes he wished she had never let go.
He glanced around and heard a cry from in the woods. He followed the sound. The crunching of fallen sticks and leaves screamed underneath his feet and he was pleased with the noise. Sound was the only thing that’d never would leave you all alone.
Nobody leaves anyone alive in the Night World? Plus, who would kill with a revolver? He thought, referring to the cries echoing throughout the trees and animals, disturbing this peaceful nature from its quiet night.
When Caleb came hotter to the sound of the cries, in the distance he half saw a man nearly dead on the ground and the other half saw a white spirit hovering throughout the air. Blood dripped from her eyes and finger tips. She’d always scream at Caleb, pleading, whispering, crying---
“H-help me!” Cried the demanding man who smelled like toilet water, bringing Caleb away from his inner thoughts.
Caleb raised an eyebrow at the man and sighed, “better then nothin’,” then he lunged for the man’s throat.
Dani paced back and forth in her friend’s bedroom.
The lights were dimmed and Cherry’s room was warm. The crunching of potato chips filled the air but she wasn’t hungry.
“What are you so anxious about?” Cherry asked, twirling a blond hair around her finger.
“I feel…..hyper,” Dani replied, glancing at her BFF. Cherry’s blue eyes were staring at her and she seemed worried.
“Why? I’m the one that should be hyper,” she chuckled, “I’ve had three orange sodas and you’ve only had half a Coke.”
“I know,” she agreed, giggling.
“So sit down and let’s watch a movie off of Netflix.”
“Alright,” Dani murmured and plopped down next to her.
“Which movie do you want?”
“I don’t care.”
“Great,” Cherry laughed and scanned through the movies.
Dani felt her stomach flutter, “I’m gonna go to the bathroom.”
“Right here?” She gasped, then burst into laughter once again, “go ahead, I’ll wait for you.”
Dani smiled briefly then strode down the hall into the bathroom.
The energy she had before had now been replaced with a terrible stomachache. She closed the door and locked it; she was thankful Cherry wouldn’t hear her violent puking spree down the hall. She leaned over the toilet and braced herself.
After ten minutes of lingering in the bathroom, Dani stood and began for the door. Her stomach suddenly flipped.
She gasped and literally leapt for the toilet. From her totally smooth attempt to look like one of those people in the movies, leaping for something falling in slow motion, many of the items on the bookshelf tumbled to the floor. She didn’t puke, which was the worst part. She groaned, stood, and went to the sink to wash her face. She received a few trickles of water in her mouth and swallowed them, then scrambled over to the fallen items of the bookshelf. She picked up a glass rocking horse and put it back on the top.
It’s amazing how it didn’t break, she thought smiling. Next, she picked up paper and toiletries, all but leaving a book on the floor. It was about the size of a Bible but was very thick. She picked it and flipped through it. The words were in some kind of other languages and unusual forms and pictures covered every page. There was no author. It was seemingly old and slightly torn down the spine. It was a dark leather and tough; it seemed strange such strong leather could be torn.
She found the place it was before and slid it back. She stared at the rip on the spine and wondered what could’ve happened. It did not look like an ordinary cut. Something like……..a knife?
She stood and turned to the sink to wash her hands. She gazed out the window, the loud wind rustled the trees. They were a dark mossy green, she wished she had her camera. She leaned forward closer, a glimpse of golden light streak across the woods. Now she really wished she had her camera. The streak reappeared and froze in mid air.
She gasped and blinked. Quickly shutting the curtains, she winced. She always knew Cherry’s house wasn’t normal, but wow…….it was just weird! She looked back at the bookshelf. A sensation tingled inside, wanting out, to be exposed to this lovely bathroom? She’s known Cherry for years but she never had an abnormal experiences here, especially not in the bathroom…..
She chewed on her bottom lip and glanced around. What was she so afraid of……..or maybe she was excited about something? It couldn’t be her locked away energy, that was excused to have her stomach take control. Besides, there was nothing to be hyper about. She threw up all the food she had eaten before.
Abruptly, she swiped the book from its place and left the bathroom.
The brown haired female wasn’t one of the household members that live here, Caleb thought with a grumble. He usually came here for feedings but since his physic ward was immune to the brunette, he couldn’t come in. Each Immortal had his own household so he couldn’t mess with her.
He stared at the closed bathroom window and frowned again. He was starving. The dead man hadn’t satisfied him at all, his seeping wounds drained all the blood before Caleb could even have one gulp.
He turned away from the house, thinking about trudging in there and feasting on the beautiful blond girl. He shook the thoughts from his mind. He’d have to wait til the brunette girl left then he’d go in.
