Nike Valencia // District Two (CBD #1)

His gaze was intense, eyes set on her face. She gave away nothing. There was only cruel humor in her gunmetal eyes. He sighed, tossing his cards away from himself in disgust.

"I fold."

She flashed her wicked white-toothed smile (one almost expected to see fangs behind her lips) and pulled the pile toward herself, carefully counting the chips into their proper piles like she had done dozens of times before.

"She's got to be cheating," one of the other men at the table muttered, staring at his own pile, which was considerably smaller.

She grinned. "Some people are just that talented, love."

"It ain't a talent you should have." Another man leaned forward slightly as cards were dealt out again. He smelled of cigarette smoke, an aroma she had grown to love over the years.

"A girl's gotta eat." Her tone was innocent but her eyes were sharp as she pulled up her hand, daring him to point out the obvious - she was a sixteen year old girl who certainly didn't belong at a poker table. He chose another approach, instead.

"There are much better ways for you to earn money with that pretty little face of yours."

Ares would have ripped his arms off. Bloody protective, he was.

She wasn't her brother, though. She calmly let the game unfold for a short while before meeting his gaze.

"You don't like your pretty girls smart?" She shook her head and tossed in her bet. "How old-fashioned of you."

He stared at the large amount chips she'd thrown into the pile before grinning. "You're bluffing. I call." He paused and then glanced at her. "Pretty and smart are a dangerous combination in a lady."

She grinned. "Aye. That they are." Then she turned over her cards for him to see. "Steel wheel. Fork it over, love."