The Meridian Gamble

by Garcia, Daniel

  “No, not at all,” I say.

  “Interesting. We’ve always wondered how much of a person’s spirit we absorb. If it traps them in limbo, or if they’re simply connected to us from wherever it is that they go.”

  “I wasn’t in limbo, I know that. I was in some other place. But somehow, I think I’ll always be connected to you, no matter where I am.”

  I think about telling Adam about the realm in the clouds. I’m certain that’s where I was. But I hesitate. I’m not ready to reveal that secret just yet, and there’s too much else going on.

  “And what happened to Roland?” I ask.

  “He hasn’t been with our family for a while. He’s off visiting vampire clans overseas, playing some complicated political game. And no doubt looking for you, too,” Adam says. “Needless to say, we don’t speak very much. He blamed me for Caroline’s death. Rightly so. And he’ll never forgive me for consuming her. It was the ultimate sin, but it was worth it.

  He reaches out, and strokes my face, lovingly.

  So Roland still looks for me. I would have thought he would hate me, for my betrayal. And I still wonder what he meant, when he sat in the garden with Caroline and told her that others were searching for Saga. Adam wasn’t then, at least that I know of. I hadn’t yet confessed my feelings for him. And I wonder if anyone else is looking for me now.

  My eyes finally fix on a clock on Adam’s dresser. It’s 8 o’clock, and I think of Roy Thompson again. He’s doing yearly reviews this week, pulling the mail boys into his office one by one, telling them whether or not they’ll be getting a raise. As insignificant as I am to the company, I know he’ll pop a gasket if I’m not there to back him up.

  I force myself to get out of the bed and stand.

  “Listen, I should go into the office, set my foot back in the real world.”

  “Don’t leave me, Meridian. I’ve waited so long to be with you.”

  Adam twists just a bit, and the sheet falls lower, exposing the top of his hip. My knees feel just a bit weak.

  “Stay all day and make love with me.”

  Geez, he’s so bloody sexy. The delicate black hairs that run along his forearm and chest absolutely captivate me. I thrill at the sensuous curve of the lips that hunger for me. It’s unreal to think that I’ve caught his interest. But I’m not ready to do it just yet, to become a vampire crumpet and dispose of my normal life. I have to pull away from Adam, or I’ll become lost in his embrace forever, whether or not I’m under the spell of the bite.

  “I have to go. I don’t want to lose my job. Besides, it might be good for me to do something mundane, help everything I’ve remembered sink in.”

  “I understand,” he says with a long face, not even trying to hide his disappointment. “But can I see you tonight?”

  “Oh, yes. Absolutely,” I say, with a smile. “And I’ll take you up on that making love offer.”

  “Good. I’ll call you later.”

  I lean over and kiss Adam, and it’s torture to walk away from his bed. I go to get my things, which have been neatly set aside for me in a shiny new leather satchel. And he has fresh jeans and a T-shirt waiting for me to change into.

  It’s odd. Adam is the best boyfriend I’ve ever had, yet he scares me at the same time. He gets up and slips into jeans of his own, and we walk through the corridors of the vampire tower, to find the elevator I would never have discovered on my own.

  I step into the car that arrives, and kiss him once more. Letting the doors close on his shirtless form is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do, because a part of me is terrified to let him go. Every time I leave him, I’m worried I might not see Adam again until my next life.

  But a girl can’t live on love alone. Not even vampire love.

  Luckily, I’m not too rushed for time when I get home. I have an hour or so to get ready, to fix my curly locks so I don’t have “slut hair,” the kind that looks like you’ve just rolled out of a stranger’s bed. I wash my tresses and blow them out straight, pinning them back with a clip. I put on something conservative, a blue business suit I wear to interviews with a crisp white blouse underneath, and some simple jewelry. I don’t mind if I look like a librarian today. Between Caroline’s life and my own, I feel like I’ve had more attention from men than I can handle.

  When I get to the Quorum, I pass Roy Thompson in the hall. He comes teetering toward me with the distinctive gait that he has, the one that makes him look like a little wind-up toy. He must be slightly bowlegged, but I’ve always been too afraid to ask. Luckily, when he approaches me, he doesn’t seem too bitchy over my having missed work.

  “I’m sorry about calling out yesterday,” I say.

  “That’s all right,” he says. “Your friend called.”

  Roy gives me a small smile as we pass, and just a hint of a snicker. I guess it amuses him to know that I have a boyfriend, since I share so little of my personal life with him or any of my co-workers, other than Staci.

  I go to my office and close the door, and luckily, there aren’t too many messages waiting for me on the phone. But unfortunately, there is a pile of bills I need to face, or our shipping account will be shut down. And as I dig into them, my mind can’t help but to drift back to thoughts of Adam … and Roland.

  My former lover. My former vampire lover. The one I didn’t even know I had. Just the idea of it boggles my mind.

  My romantic life had been such a dry well as of late, and now I suddenly have two men fighting for my affections, even though I haven’t even met one of them in this life. But thanks to Caroline and her own trip into the past, I vividly remember Roland’s touch, his stunning skillfulness in bed. And even though he could be cruel and manipulative, I know he loved me deeply in his own way. And I feel guilty for having betrayed him.

  Somewhere around noon, I sneak down to the coffee cart in the lobby for an extra latte to help me recover from the mini-coma I’ve been in, and when I get back to my desk the phone rings. I can see from the screen that it’s Staci, and I let it go to voicemail. I don’t have the energy to talk to her just yet. It rings again a few minutes later, a number with “Blocked Caller” as its identification, and it doesn’t take much for me to guess that it’s Adam. I quickly pick up.

  “Hello?”

  “Meridian.” It’s the one word he says, as a greeting, and I get the feeling he enjoys rolling it around on his tongue, the newness of it after carrying around Caroline and Saga’s names with him for so long.

  “Adam,” I say, in my best gravelly, mock vampire voice.

  “I miss you already.”

  “I miss you, too. I was a fool. I should have stayed.”

  “You can always come back.”

  “Hmmm, that’s very tempting. But I’d better at least finish out the day.”

  It’s almost like having the Devil call you, to hear this supernatural being on the other end of the line, one who has killed countless people and performed acts of evil. Yet, his masculine tone is so sexual, irresistible. And it’s wrong, but it excites me to know he’s done so much of it for me. He’s like a Faustian bargain incarnated, a promise of love and passion you’ll pay any price for. That you might regret.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Still a bit hazy. But the coffee helps. At least that’s what I tell myself to justify slugging down an extra cup.”

  “And have the memories continued?”

  “Not too much. But I’m sure they will. It still freaks me out to think I’ve been chasing after you all this time.”

  “Well, you’ve caught me now. And I intend to relish every second we’re together.”

  It feels like the moments we have with each other are ones we steal, against all odds. And I wonder how long we’ll be able to keep it up. How long will it be before I make a mistake, and the other vampires catch on to me? Will I be able to convince them I’m not Luminos? Or Saga? And how long will it be before they take action?

  “Listen, we’re having a movie
night tonight. They’re screening a silly romantic comedy, starring Cameron Diaz. Would you like to come over?”

  It’s hard not to laugh as he says this. I can’t quite get over the vampires’ tastes, that they see Broadway musicals and movies. And romantic comedies, of all things.

  “Really? A Rom Com? With Cameron Diaz? Are you kidding me?”

  “What can I say? Marion loves comedies, especially the silly romantic ones. I think on a certain level she’s fascinated by the foibles of human behavior, even though she should be above it all by now.”

  “Or maybe she’s just another girl with a broken heart.”

  “Hmmm. That might be true, too. But if you come to the movie tonight, we’ll have the chance to talk after. Or not talk. Plus, our theatre has a great concession stand. And it’s all free.”

  “Well, I do love Jujubees.”

  “Really?”

  “No. No one loves them. They’re disgusting. But I’ll be there.”

  “Great. Come by around eight, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  “It’s a date.”

  And I get a tingle of excitement just saying those words.

  Staci calls again, and I pick up this time. I realize that I need some simple human companionship, to make my life feel normal once more.

  “Hey, pal. Want to go to have lunch at that fun vegan place everyone’s talking about, Whole Earth Cafe? My doctor just put me on this new med. It’s actually for diabetes, but he says it will get my metabolism under control. And it seems like now is the perfect time to make that healthy eating push I’ve been talking about, to help with the weight loss.”

  I’m not the biggest fan of vegan restaurants, but if I’m going to be eating junk food in the vampires’ nest tonight, it won’t hurt to have something with vegetables for lunch. Maybe I’ll provide them a more nutritious treat.

  “That sounds great.”

  “And you can fill me in on all the juicy details of your new romance.”

  “Then make sure you don’t have any meetings planned for this afternoon. Because it’s going to be an epic lunch.”

  By one o’clock, we’re at the Whole Earth Cafe, which is a pretty cute place. I haven’t been here before, but now I’m regretting not coming by sooner. It’s got lots of chunky wooden tables that match the dark wood of the floors, ceiling fans and lots of big potted plants. There are expansive chalkboards behind the counter where the menu is scrawled in bright colors by someone with great writing. And the place must be popular, too, because I see a few of the drones from Creative Quorum here. Val Cornelius is at a corner table, shoveling salad down her face, and I’m hoping she’s too self-absorbed to notice us. If she sees me, she’ll probably call me over to bitch about some petty problem, that the janitors aren’t emptying her trash fast enough.

  I get a meatball sub that’s made from some sort of tempeh substance, and it’s absolutely delicious. The bread is crispy and yummy, not some gross whole-grain concoction, and there are little hints of bell pepper and pesto in the sauce. It tastes better than a normal sandwich would, and the sweet potato fries they serve on the side help to make it all the more scrumptious. Staci gets some sort of brown rice bowl with vegetables, but I don’t think she’s crazy about the dish. She’s only picking at it, and spends more time talking about catty work stuff, bragging about her adventures in the Creative division.

  “Oh my gosh, did I tell you about the Mocha Bliss account? I’m going to be working on the campaign with Corinna Mannheim, and I’m so excited about it. She has so many contacts at Drexler Wexler. I’m hoping I can use it as an excuse to see Darcy again.”

  “Do you know Jennifer’s Eve? The clothing designer?” I say, interrupting her.

  “Of course. I have one of her skirts.”

  “Well, I met her at Adam’s last night. Err, I mean the night before.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  “Nope, I’m not. And she mentioned something about needing a new head of advertising. Actually, she mentioned hiring me for the job, but I thought of you, instead. Someone with actual advertising experience, on the creative end. Or who knows, maybe you could bring her into the agency.”

  Staci’s eyes widen just a bit, but she recovers quickly, and they go back to normal. She drops the fork filled with kale back into her bowl, and I think she’s not quite sure if she should believe me.

  “Meri, that would be absolutely amazing.”

  “And her husband is the president of Omnicom.”

  “What’s Omnicom?”

  “Research it before I give her a call. It’s a huge conglomerate. Actually, it’s the place where Adam works. If you’re going to be in advertising, you should know more about their business.”

  I probably shouldn’t tell her to look up Omnicom. Who knows, the vampires might hunt down people who do web searches on their company. But it seems harmless enough. And even though I had thought of taking Jennifer up on her job offer in the back of my mind, my dreams of moving ahead in advertising suddenly seem insignificant. I have a war with vampires on my plate and two supernatural lovers. Everything else seems trivial.

  And as I sit across from Staci, it happens again, instantly this time. Right before my eyes, her visage changes to that of Marjorie, with her perfect features, her lovely red lips and pristine white dress. And I barely have to shake my head to make it go away. If reality is going to constantly keep shifting, I think I’m going to scream. No wonder some of the Luminos go bonkers.

  “So how are things going with that boyfriend of yours?”

  “Pretty good. But it’s becoming more complicated by the minute.”

  “Oh, no. How so?”

  “Turns out he’s friends with one of my exes. Did I ever tell you about Roland?”

  Staci’s jaw drops.

  “No, you did not tell me about Roland. Dish!”

  No wonder she’s shocked. Hiding old boyfriends is so out of character for me, since we talk about everything. I shouldn’t even mention his name, one of the vampires could be listening in somehow. But I just have to get it off my chest. I suppose if they’re eavesdropping, I can still pretend I’m one of the decoys Adam has brainwashed into thinking she’s Saga.

  “He’s this guy I dated for a bit, back in college. Older than me. Well, not much older, but definitely more mature. Another one of these big business guys. I guess I have a type, and I didn’t realize it. Anyway, it turns out he knows Adam, and I’m not looking forward to running into him again.”

  “Are you worried about it bringing up old feelings?”

  I have to think about this one for a minute.

  “More like old drama.”

  “Well, of course he’s come up again. Nothing is perfect. The road to love is always bumpy. But no matter what the problem is, I find that shopping always helps. Come on, let’s get out of here. I want to find a new top.”

  “Sounds good.”

  And we wave over the waitress to get the check.

  We hit Bloomingdale’s, and I come across a cute little bolero jacket made of jeans material that I just have to have. I figure I can wear it to the tower tonight. It covers just enough of my chest that I might be able to get away with not wearing a bra, if I feel daring.

  Afterwards, I’m excited about my purchase, at first. But as we’re walking along the sidewalks of New York, I get that familiar nervous feeling of being watched. And when Staci suggests we duck into another store, I’m more than grateful to get off the streets.

  We go into “Seasons,” a favorite shop of hers. Staci is continually hung up on her weight, and despises having to shop at the “big girl” places, as she calls them. But Seasons is different. It doesn’t just focus on the twos and fours of the world, and tends to carry a strong selection of larger sizes.

  She quickly collects a few blouses she likes, but I already have my jacket, which is expense enough for one day, so I just pretend to skim the racks. Talking about Roland has brought up thoughts of the past, and my mind is too pre
occupied to do much more shopping, anyway.

  Staci goes to the dressing room, and the bell on the door rings, which instantly makes me nervous. A couple enter the store, and I realize the place is empty, aside from a shop girl behind the counter. Looking at the new customers, I immediately know they aren’t really here to spend money.

  The man is youngish and African-American, maybe in his early thirties, and the woman is Hispanic and about the same age. He’s handsome, but not overly so. She’s pretty, but not a beauty. They both wear nondescript business suits, and I think it’s no mistake that they look like they could blend into a crowd. In fact, they look like undercover cops.

  I focus on them for a moment, to try to find the glow of the Luminos, but I detect nothing with my special vision. But, unfortunately, I’m sure they catch me staring, and I quickly drop my head toward a rack of skirts, feigning interest.

  I get my hopes up, praying that I’m just being paranoid and that they will leave, but instead, they move closer. I consider running, but it will be too hard to explain to Staci why I’ve ditched her at the store. And when the salesgirl goes to the back of the shop, my heart skips a beat, as the man approaches.

  There’s nothing I can do but to breathe deeply, and face whatever might come.

  He stares me down with a serious expression.

  “You’re in danger. You need to leave New York immediately.”

  I laugh. Somehow, his concern strikes me as humorous.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. Why am I in danger?”

  He shakes his head, looking at me as though I’m insane.

  “The vampires. They’ll destroy you.”

  And this time, his words do freak me out just a bit, because he might be right, whether he knows it or not. But he isn’t Luminos, he can only have been filled in on so much. And I try to maintain my poker face.