This is my third submission. I'd really appreciate any comments my readers have about my writing - both the content and the style!
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I walked into the dive bar and ordered a beer. The bartender poured the pint disinterestedly, placed it on the bar-towel, and named the price.
"Keep the change", I muttered as I handed over a coin. The barkeep took it from me without breaking eye contact, turned towards the till, then hesitated as he looked at the obol I had handed him by way of payment. He inspected it for a moment, looked at me, looked back at the obol, and pocketed the token. He understood.
"Perhaps you'd like to join the game, Sir." he suggested. As he spoke, he indicated towards a door behind the bar - which lead to a room used by patrons to host illegal poker games.
"Sounds good to me." It was tough to keep the stoniness from my tone. I was not here to play games, but he knew that already. The scrawny unshaven young man unlocked the door to let me through, then slammed it quickly shut behind me. I could hear an argument being held back on the other side, between the barkeep and an over-eager young patron.
"Hey Johann. I wanna play. How about it?"
"Get lost kid. You want to stay away from that. Believe me."
"I'm not a kid. You KNOW that I'm 21 now!"
"Changes nothing. You ain't invited."
"Awww c'mon. You could vouch for me or whatever right? You know I can raise the buy-in."
"Keep your voice down kid. You want every cop in town coming down here? Now scram, before I kick you out."
The kid started to move away from the bar.
"I'll be back, Johann. When I get in there, I'll be leaving with everyone's stacks."
"Yeah, whatever kid."
I couldn't help but smirk a little. There were only ever enough games held in this room to keep up its reputation - usually only two a year. Its real purpose was a lot more dangerous. The incantation left my lips and turned my breath into a light purple smoke. I had rehearsed the words a thousand times, but the smoke could only appear here - in a place touched by the occult. The carpet pulled slightly at my shoes as I trod across its sticky surface, towards the door in the opposite wall. I ran a hand down its ancient wooden fascia in admiration of the workmanship which had created it, then crouched down to blow my smoke-breath into the lock.
The door creaked and warped slightly as it accepted my "key", then vanished entirely to reveal the solid stone steps - leading down towards my destination. As my second footstep echoed through the cave, the door reappeared behind me, every bit as solid as it had been before. My face had regained its previous cold expression, with the only detectable hint of trepidation being the few millimetres my eyebrows were raised. It had to be a brave man to walk into her lair. Tahnya was a vampire, one of the last vestiges of her kind, paranoid, vicious, and burning with rage over the condition of her species.
With the door closed, the descent proper began. I intended to project confidence, so my steps were regular and purposeful. She would already be able to hear me and knew that I was approaching. There were five-hundred stairs down - not a number I honestly fancied trying to tackle in a hurry. Escape wasn't going to be an option. This was going to be all or nothing. I tried putting my hands in my pockets to give the sound of my approach an air of nonchalance, but this nearly back-fired as I stepped on a stray rock and came close to losing my balance. The hands came out of my pockets and swayed gently at my side instead from then on. Why was I keeping up the pretence now? She would have easily detected my stumbling.
The stairs finally opened out into an enormous cavern - clearly organic in its original formation, however containing alcoves and decorative structures which had been later carved out by hand. It was gently lit by luminescent plants and mosses, and otherwise decorated in an extravagant style, reminiscent of the chambers in which had rested the kings and queens of old. My eyes darted around the room, to every nook and cranny, attempting to locate the she-demon.
Her voice echoed gently around the rocky lair as she addressed me, the man who had violated her sacred space.
"I have been expecting you Vik. You are as predictable as the celestial orbits."