Page 37 of A Vampire's Pain
“What is this?” I asked as he handed me the glass.
“Just a vodka and soda.”
“Planning to get me drunk?” I teased, as I took a sip of the glass.
I didn’t drink often, since I had no one to drink with really, but I had had a taste of how strong alcohol could be. Gabriel just smiled, as he looked at me before he found these two wooden sticks. I looked strangely at him, as he handed me one.
“It’s called a cue,” he said.
“And are we fighting with them?”
He laughed and shook his head.
“Not unless you want us to, but I think we can use them for something better.”
I smiled and then turned to what clearly was a game he was going to teach me.
“What is this called?” I said and gestured to the game.
“Pool,” he said. “We are going to play a game of pool.”
“How do I win?”
He laughed again, and I smiled at him and winked.
“By getting all the balls into the holes, before going for the eight ball.”
“And if I accidentally shoot the eight ball down before I get the other balls in?”
“Then you lose.”
“Okay, so stay clear of that,” I said, making Gabriel smile and nod.
“I’m starting the game,” he told me, as he shot this white ball towards the triangle of balls at the other end.
I watched as some of them fell into the holes in the corners, and a pleased smile spread on Gabriel’s lips.
“Guess I got the colored ones,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“I got the colored balls, I need to get them down, while you get the others,” he said.
I nodded, as I started to understand the rules. Gabriel continued to send a few balls down the holes, but it was clear he “missed” one on purpose, so it became my turn.
“Now you,” he said, as he took a sip of his drink that was balancing on the edge of the table.
I smiled a little and leaned over the table, doing what I had seen he was doing, but I did not have the technique at all, and I missed the white ball on the first try.
“Here, let me help,” he said.
Gabriel came around the table, and soon his hands were on me and his arms were around me. I really couldn’t concentrate on the lesson when he was so damn close to me. I could feel his warm breath tickle my ear, and it was like the people and the room around us completely disappeared. He moved my hands for me and sent the white ball on its way, sending one of my balls into a hole in the corner.
“There,” he whispered in my ear, and I swallowed hard, feeling so nervous with him so close, but I didn’t want him to move either. “Try again.”
He moved away though, and let me try on my own, and this time I was a lot more confident, even though the ball missed the hole, I had still been able to hit it.
Chapter 16
