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He opened his eyes to a red-tinted city. Not at all as he expected since all remembers last being tossed into the nearby bay tied to cinderblocks. But he was bone dry with his clothes being fully intact. He fished in his pocket finding a gold coin with a pentagram engraved on one side and the roman numeral for five on the other. Checking his other pockets there was nothing there, all he had was the clothes on his back and a coin in the middle of a city that smelled worse than where he was before.
But he knew with two things, he had money and in a city so he decided he’d do what he did best.
Gamble and swindle some poor sod out of his money. Which granted, was how he landed here in the first place. No one told him that he was playing against the right hand man that ran the town, he wouldn’t have played then.
But that’s not how it works in gambling, the moment you pick up those cards you’re agreeing to the fact you’re a bad hand from losing it all. And if you didn’t have anything left to lose, yes you did. You just don’t know it until the last breath leaves you.
Making his way down the street he took in his surroundings with much interest. Everyone here was a little odd looking, being a mixture of anthropomorphic and some defining characteristic. That’s when he caught his reflection in the window of a liquor store. Illuminated by the neon of different brands of alcohol a cat with wings and suspenders stared back at him.
Oh, hell no.
A black cat with aged white fur on him, even in death he couldn’t forget how old he is. Was. The wings were black and red, the same color of cards he played with. Cruelty was death, now his own reflection reminded him of the worst decisions he made. He should have stayed home today, staying away from the dens tonight. The black cat that crossed his path on his way there spooked him, but wasn’t enough of a warning. Now where that landed him, in the one place that he didn’t think he’d have to see for a long time.
“Hey, fella, ever played cards before?” A scaly hand slipped around his shoulders, forcing his stroll forward to halt. “I’ve never seen you around here before, new in town?”
He glanced at the man, instincts kicking in from the overly familiar tactic. Keeping his slightly bent over posture he replied, “what kinda cards you got?”
The snake-like man smiled, thinking he caught another sucker. “Let me show you, right down here.” He stretched out his other arm towards saloon doors with a sign saying Wild Bill Saloon. He pushed through the doors, with the stereotypical creak of the floorboards announcing his arrival. The air went still, but with the clink of ice hitting the glass everyone focused on their games again.
“Heya Boss, found a newbie! Seems he’s interested in playing,” the snake sinner pushed him forward, walking past all the other tables to the one in the far back. The man sitting with his back to the wall looked up from his hand, slightly annoyed that concentration was lost.
The Boss looked to be mixed with buffalo qualities, shaggy fur and horns adorned on his head. The rest of the table looked up at the cat sinner, waiting for the Boss to fully acknowledge him.
“You know how to play Texas Hold ‘em?” The southern drawl wasn’t an accent he was used to but cliche that that’s the game he wanted to play.
“More of a poker man myself, but I know how to play,” the cat sinner sat at the empty chair in front of him. But as soon as he sat down the rest of the men got up, now only he and the Boss are at the table.
“What’s your name stranger?” The Boss put his cards down to be collected by the dealer, ready to shuffle the cards for a new game.
“Husker.” Without trying to let them on to his emotional state, he eyed the man in front of him. Full of confidence, probably not unfounded though. “And you are?”
“As the sign says,” a shark man spoke from beside the Boss, “Boss’ name is Wild Bill.” The shark man looked different from the rest of the men here. He was closer in proximity to the boss, quite less human-like as well. His eyes, unlike most of the men here had black cornea’s, his were red. Same with the dealer, though that man was impish and reddish as the city’s sky. His horns black with thick white strips being the most obvious that he wasn’t like the rest of them.
“Well, Husker, what have you got?” Wild Bill spoke, tapping the same gold coins he had on the table, the implication being obvious.
Husker pulls the coin out of his pocket and places it on the table. “That’s all I got.”
The men started snickering, the Boss looked at Husker with a slight smirk. “Boy, that’s not all you can wager. You’re new, so you don’t know you’ve got one more thing to give up.” He raised his arm, hand out to shake. “Your soul can be worth a lot more than what you’ve got in your pockets.”
Husker couldn’t hide the shock, to first lose his life now to a winning hand but now to possibly lose his soul if he lost? No way in Hell, but maybe that’s the way it is. Especially since he felt the movement behind him, this is the only way right now.
“What do I get then?” The dealer took that as the cue to start shuffling the cards and laying them out for the style of Texas Hold ‘em.
“Money, riches, information,” Wild Bill spread his arms out to show off the extravagance of his wealth. The tiny jewels that hung from his jacket. “What do you want if you win?”
Husker didn’t have to think about what he was going to say next, he lived and died by this idea he’s been taught since he first started gambling. If you’re willing to lose it all, then ask for everything.
“I want what you’ve got, I want the power you hold.” The cards dealt, neither touching their hand just yet. “I’m thinking that’s better than whatever is on this table.”
The Boss laughed loudly, noticeably the only one to do so as the saloon was deathly quiet. Pounding his fist on the table in the middle of his laughing fits, feeling excited for the first time in decades.
“A soul for a soul! Even better! Well kid, hopefully you don’t regret it,” his voice goes into a low growl, “because the moment you lose you’re mine.” He reached out his hand, met with the cat sinner’s, binding their deal for their souls.
Husker kept his poker face, realizing that this game might be the most important right now. More so than the one that decided his fate. With the flick of the Boss’ hand the men surrounding them moved away, lining up behind Wild Bill.
Feeling better about his situation, Husker finally looked at his cards. Ace of hearts, and a king of hearts not the worst start. The dealer placed the flop cards, an eight of spades, an eight of clubs, and a queen of hearts. Husker kept a straight face as Wild Bill waved his hand, as without anything else to bet it was best to get the turn and river cards on the table.
A jack of hearts and a ten of hearts.
The room felt electric, uncomfortable as smoke pillowed on the floor.
Wild Bill was the first to show his hand, a black suit pair of aces. He had a two black suit pairs. He broke his poker face with a smile.
“Nice play, but time to pay up.”
Husker showed his cards, and the electric feeling was much more palatable now. Rage mixing in with the smoke.
The smoke moved up Wild Bill’s hooves, engulfing his being as a golden chain wrapped around his neck, the chain leading back to Husker’s paw. The power being transferred over instantaneously, his irises shone in gold as Wild Bill shrank in his seat from the weight of his collar.
Husker gave the chain a tug, dragging Wild Bill across the table. His eyes full of confusion, not fully realizing that he has lost everything he has built for himself in this hell. Husker smiled, this confidence swelling up inside him, the feeling of power nothing new to him but this would be the best hand dealt to him yet.
Still holding onto the chain Husker looked at the now bewildered shark man. “You, get me a drink.” With a powerful tug, launching Wild Bill from the table and on the saloon floor. He stepped to the other side of the table, getting comfortable as the head of the table.
The shark demon placed a drink down, taking a sip of the amber liquid. Burned like hell and the heat went all the way down. With all eyes on him now, he decided that his next move should take the pot.
“So, anyone wanna play some poker?”