The Meridian Gamble

“Wanna see something fun? Watch this,” he says, with a mischievous grin.

  “Can I get you both something to drink?” the waiter says.

  Adam doesn’t reply, and only stares back at him intently. And the waiter responds as though they’re having a conversation, and begins jotting down notes on his pad.

  “Yes, we have an excellent Chateau Margaux French bordeaux that I can recommend … Of course, water for both of you … If you’re ready, I’d be happy to take your order. Yes … that comes with a Market Price Kobe filet mignon, which is quite excellent. … Absolutely. Alright, that will be our meal for two, with steak, chicken, pork and shrimp, and our appetizer array with extra spring rolls. Will there be anything else?”

  It’s amazing. Adam never so much as twitches his lips, and the waiter never breaks their gaze during the seemingly one-sided conversation, taking down our order as he would at any other table. And what’s equally strange is that no one other than me seems to notice that Adam isn’t speaking.

  Finally, the waiter turns to me.

  “And is there anything the lady would like to add?”

  Obviously, I don’t have the same mental talents Adam does, and I have to speak up.

  “Actually, yes. I’m not really crazy about shrimp.”

  “That’s not a problem at all, we can substitute lamb,” the waiter says.

  “That’s fine,” Adam says aloud, clearing his throat as he momentarily drops his trick.

  “And can I get a Coke?” I say.

  “Of course.”

  Adam looks to the man one more time, and I get the impression he’s also adding something to the order, once again using his psychic powers.

  “Yes, sir. Absolutely, right away.”

  The young man scurries off, and that time, though I’m not quite sure, I almost feel like I could hear the whisper of Adam’s voice in my mind. It could be my imagination, but I think he ordered a Coke for himself, though it’s an obvious guess.

  He turns to me with a self-satisfied smile, and I can’t help but to laugh.

  “You said you wanted to know more about my powers,” Adam says.

  “Wow, that was super creepy, yet incredibly fascinating. It was like he couldn’t tell the difference between my talking to him and … whatever it was you were doing.”

  “It’s called telepathy, just like in the comic books. And he wasn’t aware of the difference at all.”

  “But, aren’t you worried that someone around us might notice?” I whisper.

  “Not really. I was scanning them,” he says, in low tones. “If anyone was listening in, I would have blocked them. But they didn’t pick up on a thing.”

  “And, were you just communicating with him, or can you make him do stuff?”

  “Well, we’re going to get very good service, that much I can assure you,” he says. “And depending on the person, I can get them to do more complicated things. His mind was weak, it would probably be very easy for me to make him flap his arms like a chicken, or spill his tray on another table. And, of course, there are others who are better at it than I am, though not many.”

  “Well, let’s not have him dump his tray on the other guests so they can enjoy their meals,” I say, looking around warily.

  I lean closer, speaking softly.

  “What about me? Can you make me do something?”

  “No. As I’ve said, your mind is very strong. It’s hard for me to even detect your thoughts. Can you feel this?”

  Adam stares at me intently, locking his green eyes with my own. And I sense something, almost like a static electricity at the base of my skull. It begins to move up and around the edges of my mind, and the effect is a bit unnerving.

  “That’s me, tying to get inside your head. And I can’t do it.”

  His features visibly soften, as he seems to stop. And the buzzing instantly goes away.

  “That’s so strange. I felt that same energy in the bar the night we met. I thought it was something from the crowd.”

  “No, that was me checking you out. But you’re very perceptive, it is a kind of energy, my mental energy reaching out to yours. And perhaps you’re particularly sensitive to that, which is why you can’t be read. Somehow, the mind’s natural defenses kick in when a person is able to detect the invasion, and it shuts you out.”

  “Yeah, that could be it. I’m kind of sensitive to energy, sometimes,” I say.

  “Interesting,” Adam says, with a smile. “And you wonder why I find you so fascinating.”

  The waiter returns with a tray, and sets our drinks before us, Coke and water. He places two glasses on the table, and pours us a red wine.

  And as he’s standing there, it starts to happen again, at yet another unwanted moment. I look around the room, and begin to feel the energy shift. The wallpaper on the walls is a tan color, with little strands woven into it. And suddenly, it becomes the sandy walls of a temple. The lights become torches, and the places where the pictures hang suddenly recess, and become spots for art to be displayed, little vases and urns. And Adam changes, his hair grows longer, and a braid forms within it. He wears long flowing robes, and the waiter becomes some sort of attendant, in more primitive garb.

  I shake my head. I don’t want any of this right now, no strange visions. I just want to be in the here and now with Adam. I drink some of my Coke, and the coldness of the soda seems to ground me in reality.

  He takes a sip of his wine, and nods his head in approval to the waiter.

  “It’s quite delicious,” he says with his actual voice. “Thank you.”

  Even though I’m not much of a drinker, I force myself to take a sip of the wine, so as not to seem rude. It tastes the way all alcohol tastes to me, like turpentine.

  The waiter steps away, leaving us alone once more.

  “So I’m guessing you have a lot more questions for me,” Adam says.

  “Funny you should ask,” I say. “Because I do have one in particular. I’m wondering if you believe in reincarnation.”

  Adam crooks one of his eyebrows, and looks at me, quizzically.

  “That’s what you want to know?” he says.

  I seem to have caught him off guard, which is odd. I didn’t think that anything I could say would surprise an immortal.

  “Well, it’s just that … I figure, who better to ask than someone who’s lived forever? Or at least for a long time. I thought that maybe you’ve encountered people you’ve … known. Or maybe felt like you noticed similarities.”

  Adam says nothing for a moment, and seems to collect his thoughts.

  “Reincarnation exists,” he says. “It’s something real. I can tell you that definitively.”

  “Definitively? Really?”

  “Yes,” he says, nodding his head, solemnly. “There are people I’ve met over the years who I’m certain I’ve known in the past. They’ve been able to describe places and events where I had been, prior to when they were born. And there are even some … individuals I’ve encountered who can remember in great detail other lives they’ve lived.”

  “I wonder how they know?”

  “I don’t know. It’s actually a topic of great interest among the vampires, one of the great mysteries we hope to solve. But if I had to guess, I’d say it must be some sort of psychic phenomenon that gives them the talent to tap into the energy of the past. Like we said, they have a sensitivity.”

  “I actually feel that way sometimes, with my friend Staci.”

  “How so?” he says, with a tone that shows more than just a passing interest.

  “I’m writing a story about two sisters who are sort of rivals for a rich man’s hand in marriage. Or at least the one sister is jealous that the second one has caught his attention. It’s a period thing, one of those costume dramas. And I’m basing one of the characters on Staci, the wicked sister. But it feels so real sometimes, I think that it’s something that’s actually happened. That maybe we had that connection in the past.”

  “It’s possible. P
erhaps you’ve come together to work out some karma. Or maybe her energy simply reminds you of this person you once knew, and it’s helping you recall that time from another life.”

  “Interesting … very interesting,” I say, trying to seem nonchalant.

  I hesitate to mention any more, the odd visions I’ve seen of him. It seems silly, to think that I can remember my past lives. But the nature of our relationship is so bizarre already. How much more strange could it get?

  “Actually, I feel that way with you, too,” I say, trying to gauge his reaction.

  “Oh really? How so?”

  And Adam leans forward just a bit, seemingly fascinated by what I’m saying, but he takes a casual sip of his wine to cover it. And I’m more than just a bit nervous to have piqued his interest.

  “It’s ridiculous, I suppose. But you remind me of one of the characters in this other story I’m working on. A visiting prince who the heroine falls in love with. But she can’t act on it, because she’s part of a secret society that’s determined to destroy the royal family, and is in the temple on a mission to kill Pharaoh. I don’t know where I came up with it, but I call the character Saga.”

  Adam spits out his drink, and I’m shocked.

  He begins coughing violently, and holds a napkin to his face. I worry, as his eyes widen and Adam turns several shades of red. People dining in the restaurant begin to look over, despite his purported influence over their minds. But slowly, he regains his composure.

  “Have you published this story? Or shown it to anyone?” he says, almost panicked.

  “No! God, no. It’s just some notes that I’ve written.”

  “Meridian, I’m going to ask you to do me a favor,” he says, very slowly. “Please never discuss this with anyone other than me.”

  “Why?” I ask, in concern. “Is it bad that I’m writing it?”

  “It’s not bad. It’s just something that could prove to be … very complicated.”

  The waiter returns to the table, interrupting us. He’s carrying a large tray, and Adam sighs softly in frustration, under his breath.

  “Next time we get together, remind me to cook you a gourmet meal. It’s one of my many talents,” he says, winking at me.

  “That sounds wonderful,” the waiter says. “Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this as much, too.”

  The cute young man begins setting plates of appetizers before us, and it all looks delicious. There’s little bowls of broth, mounds of white rice with sushi wrappers next to them, to fold it in. There are small dishes of marinated vegetables, and plates of fried wontons and the extra spring rolls he mentioned. And it’s unfortunate that I’m sitting on pins and needles, wondering what Adam will say next, because the bounty before us is impressive. And he was right, I am hungry from all the cleaning.

  I take a sip of the broth, which is amazing. Though it’s seemingly simple, they’ve added some herb that gives it an intense flavor I hadn’t thought could be possible. And I begin to scoop a bit of rice into one of the seaweed wrappers. Adam takes another sip of his wine.

  Another server comes with a second tray that he sets down on a stand, and our waiter begins taking plates from it that he sets down on our table, ones that are filled with different seasoned meats; chicken, steak, pork, and what I assume is lamb. He begins placing pieces on the grill, and I can smell the delectable scent of meat sizzling. Adam waits patiently, but finally it becomes too much, and he takes the tongs away from the man.

  “Thank you, I can do that.”

  The waiter smiles and leaves. And if he’s offended, it doesn’t show.

  When he’s gone, Adam leans forward, and begins to speak again, slowly measuring his words.

  “Meridian, when you asked me before about reincarnation, I wasn’t entirely truthful. Or rather, I was, but I left out one very important part that I wasn’t quite ready to share. The reason that I know reincarnation is real is that we vampires have enemies. They call themselves the Luminos, and they have a very special gift; the ability to remember all of their past lives in perfect detail. And they use this talent against us. They recall skills that they’ve learned, languages, plots they’ve been working on for years in the hopes of destroying us.”

  “And let me guess,” I say, with a growing sense of dread. “You knew a woman named Saga who was one of them.”

  “Yes, I did. She was someone who was very special to me. Saga was of the Luminos, but she was not my enemy. She was caught in the middle of our war, so to speak.”

  “Well then, if Saga was one of the Luminos, that means I can’t be her,” I say, shaking my head. “This must all be coincidence. Or something else.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I don’t have that gift. I can’t remember my past lives in perfect detail. These are just stories I’ve barely fleshed out, if that. And a few vivid images in my mind’s eye. I can’t even tell if they’re real.”

  “You can’t tell yet, but you’ve only just started to remember. From what we know of the Luminos, their skill in recalling the past can vary, depending on how often they’ve returned. Sometimes it starts very slowly, and for others, it all comes rushing back at an early age. Some have spent lifetimes in mental institutions trying to sort through their memories, or have never returned to their fold, refusing to believe what they’ve recalled.”

  “And to make matters even more complicated, Saga herself was something of a conundrum,” Adam says. “We’ve tracked the Luminos over time, to better identify them, and as far as we know, she’s the only one who has returned very few times, just once after her incarnation as Saga.”

  My stomach sinks, because I know what he’s going to say next. In fact, I stop him, and say it myself.

  “And her other life was in England, during the Victorian era. She was a girl named Caroline, with a sister named Marjorie.”

  “Yes, exactly,” he says.

  Which means I’m a vampire’s long lost love. And maybe an assassin, from this Luminos clan. And that Staci really was my sister in another life.

  My head begins to reel, and I feel just a bit dizzy.

  As I sit there in a daze, Adam takes the set of tongs the waiter left us and begins casually flipping over the pieces of meat on the grill. And I’m glad he’s taking over the task, because the last thing I can concentrate on is cooking our meal at an upscale restaurant.

  As he monitors the meat, Adam pops a piece of uncooked steak into his mouth. But instead of chewing it, he sucks on the chunk, like it’s a piece of candy.

  “Mmmm, delicious. This cow lived a joyous life,” he says. “I don’t know why anyone would want to cook this, it’s perfect just the way it is.”

  But he shifts about the slivers of meat on the grill anyway, searing them to perfection. It seems strange to me that he’s so calm, after what I’ve revealed, the truth he’s just discovered.

  “So, you said that I shouldn’t tell anyone about this? Would it be a bad thing, if I was Saga?”

  “It would be a very good thing, from my perspective,” he says, smiling. “But unfortunately, my people generally frown upon fraternizing with the Luminos, as you can imagine. Even if it’s Saga. And they know that I’ve been looking for her all this time. They will immediately suspect you.”

  “So despite the fact that Saga was one of the Luminos, you were able to see past your differences. How is it you could to do that?”

  “Because Saga wasn’t just one of the Luminos. She eventually became a vampire. She’s one of the few of her people who’ve changed sides.”

  I gasp, ever so slightly, though I try to hold it in. I can’t believe he would say it so casually, after everything else he’s revealed. But then again, Adam is a vampire. Maybe it isn’t so shocking to him.

  Saga had been like him, once. A drinker of blood. Somehow, I can’t quite imagine myself being one of the living dead in another incarnation. Then again, I can’t imagine myself as an immortal assassin either.

  “Is it possible that I
’m not her? That I’m just picking up on all this, in some psychic way.”

  “It’s possible. Which is why I don’t want to tell you too much about Saga. If you’re really her, then the memories should start coming back quite soon, especially now that we’ve connected. It may help to trigger it. Prepare yourself, it can be like an avalanche.”

  He flips some more of the meat over on the grill, and pops a tiny piece of chicken in his mouth.

  “You seem pretty unfazed by all this, for someone who’s been searching for his lost love for so long.”

  “I’ve learned to be very patient over time, from waiting. But make no mistake, Meridian, from the moment I met you, my heart felt lifted. I’ve been filled with hope, that I could find a reason to live again. I’ve made many mistakes, especially where Saga is concerned, which I’m sure you can imagine, since she’s no longer with us. But if you’re her, I promise that this time, we’re going to have our happy ending.”

  And there’s nothing I want more than to see Adam have his happy ending.

  It stuns me to think that this could all be true, that we’ve been searching for each other over time. But it makes sense, in a way, why my feelings for him are so intense.

  Very calmly, Adam begins taking pieces of meat from the grill, and putting them on a plate between us. He pushes it toward me, and sets a few more raw chunks down to cook.

  “Why don’t you at least try to eat something? This is a very overpriced restaurant, and you’ll probably be able to handle all this heavy talk better on a full stomach,” he says. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my adventures with Saga, it’s that we should try to enjoy every moment we’re together to its fullest.”

  He flashes me another one of his heartbreaking smiles, and I figure, why not? Whatever his intentions, Adam clearly wants to help me work out this riddle. And he’s right, I am starving.

  I take a chunk of the steak and put it in my mouth, where it melts away. It’s absolutely delicious. There’s something about the seasoning that they use, it’s salty and just a bit tangy, and makes the flavor absolutely compelling. I can detect a hint of soy sauce and ginger, and I wonder if there’s some way to recreate the marinade at home.