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the only full table on the floor this time of morning.”
     
    A reasonable answer. Still, it irritated him that a shark was preying on the little fish here. That’s was fine, he would make him pay for his arrogance. Brian just called him and smiled.
     
    A Two of Diamonds hit the turn. The blond bet a hundred and fifty, and then just smiled and asked the waitress for a drink. Brian looked at the card and thought. He couldn't see how that card could help him in anyway. He had to be bluffing, or playing for a straight.
     
    It was hard to tell with this guy. All he did was smile and make jokes with the people around him.
     
    “I'll call.” Brian put his chips in.
     
    The river brought a 3 of Clubs. The blonde guy didn't even think about it. He bet four hundred without pausing. If it hadn't been for the fact that Brian was sure he had to be bluffing, that quick bet would have worried him. Brian had three Queens, so he wasn't going to fold it. Obviously, the guy thought he didn't have anything.
     
    “Let me help you.” The young guy began. “I'm guessing you got...let’s see, either Jacks, or maybe Queens. Am I right?” The guy's eyes twinkled in mirth.
     
    Brian didn't answer him and just put on the best poker face he could muster. When the young guy saw he wasn't responding he continued. “I got you beat. You may want to throw those away.” He smiled and sat back.
     
    Why would he tell me that if he wasn't bluffing? Brian thought. No one would take away a sure win if what he was saying was true, No he was going to nail him this time he was sure.
     
    “I'm all in.” Brain said as he pushed what was left of his stack into the pot. The blonde guy just smiled and shook his head.
     
    “How much more?” he asked. The dealer counted Brian’s chips up, there was only another hundred and twenty five the young guy had to match, so he did without much hesitation.
     
    “By the way, what’s your name? My name's Daniel.” He said, as he reached his hand across the table to shake Brian’s, ending it with a quick good luck after matching Brian’s chips.
     
    After all the chips were in, Brian flipped his cards over to show his two Queens. Daniel stood up and shouted “I knew it!” He flipped his two cards over showing the eight and a ten of hearts, and Brian watched as the dealer pushed all his chips across the table to the man named Daniel.
     
    “Better luck next time.” He smiled, “I told you I had you beat.” He said as he stacked up Brian's chips.
     
    “Would you like to buy in for more chips?” the dealer asked as Brian sat there, still stunned. He couldn't believe what just happened. Who played with an Eight and Ten of hearts? The guy obviously didn't know what he was doing, so that meant he had to be cheating somehow. Brian had heard before when he first started playing that some of the hustlers paid off a few of the dealers to fix the cards, and he wouldn't have been surprised if that was what was happening now.
     
    Well, two could play at that game.
     
    “Sir?” The dealer asked him again. “Are you going to buy in?”
     
    “Yeah. Give me a couple of hundred,” Brian said as he pulled out the last two bills he was carrying. He wouldn't have risked the last of his money normally, but he had a plan this time. The first hand he was dealt a Seven of Clubs and a Two of Hearts. Most of the people folded, then chuckles bet fifty like he always did. Everyone else folded until it reached Brian. The young guy looked right at Brian smiling his big stupid grin. Well, he was about to learn that cheating didn't pay against a vampire.
     
    “I'm all in.” Brian shoved his last two hundred in the center of the table.
     
    “Whoa! A little tilt there?” Daniel asked as he searched Brian’s face for some kind of tell. Brian locked eyes with him, and said.
     
    “Why don't you call me and find out?”
     
    The young man stared at him for a second, obvious confusion showing for the first time on his