I shake my head in disgust.
“Even if you’re willing to kill her, I’m not. You may be able to forget that she’s your friend, but I can’t. There has to be another way.”
Roland stands, and moves to the door, seemingly finished with us.
“If you and Adam can come up with a better solution, I will listen to it. But we need to act quickly. Your human lives are over in the blink of an eye, and Marion will not remain fooled for very long. You will not be safe. I will come back here tomorrow, and we will make our decision on how to proceed.”
He walks toward the door, but before he leaves, Roland pauses.
“And I am sorry for hurting you, Meridian,” he says, giving me an earnest glance. “You were right, it was a mistake. I should have believed you.”
“I know,” I say, coldly.
“I only pray that you live long enough to forgive me.”
It’s strange the way he puts it, and I say nothing more.
Roland looks to Adam, and gives him a small nod filled with tension. He goes out the front door, and closes it behind him. And when he’s gone, I breathe a sigh of relief.
I go to the bag of Chinese food that’s sitting on my kitchen table, and grab it. Adam looks at me questioningly, but I put a finger to my mouth, motioning for him to be quiet. And I listen at the front door, waiting for the ding of the elevator outside.
I open it, and the coast is clear. The elevator doors have closed on Roland.
“I don’t want this in my home,” I say. And I don’t care if Roland is still close enough to hear me, through layers of concrete and metal doors.
Adam follows me down the hallway, and I hurl the bag down the garbage chute. He seems pleased with the gesture.
“You must be angry if you threw away Chinese food.”
“You have no idea.”
I want to laugh, but I can’t. And I just shake my head. And he follows me back to my home.
“This is a nightmare. I don’t want to pretend to break up with you. And though I’ve always wanted to go to Paris, I hardly want to go there with him. In fact, I never want to see Roland again.”
“I know, Meri. But we need to take action, and hard decisions will have to be made.”
“Why can’t we just be together? I don’t understand what’s so difficult about that.”
“They’re not going to let us just live out your life. If they would, I would be content with that, if it was your decision. I would wait for you to return time and time again,” Adam says. “So we’re going to have to find a way around them. This time it’s going to work out for us, I swear it.”
He kisses me so sweetly, it makes me feel guilty for ever thinking of Roland, at all. But Adam steps away for a moment, and it’s the last thing I want him to do. It concerns me.
“I hate to leave you, but there’s something I must attend to.”
“You’re not leaving town again, are you?”
“No. But Marion thinks there’s a small cell of Luminos in Greenwich Village, of all places. Which is impossible, I’ve tracked all of their activity in this city. I almost think she’s purposely wasting my time. But I need to pretend to honor her leadership, so she doesn’t suspect a rebellion.”
And something clicks in my mind.
I realize that there is no way out of this impossible situation, not without someone I care about getting hurt. But there is one thing left for me to do. I almost feel like Marion is sending me a message through Adam, without him even knowing it. And even if she’s not, it doesn’t really matter, because I’ve made my decision.
“Wait here for me, and we’ll work it all out when I get back.”
“Okay. I’ll be here.”
He gives me another kiss, and this time, I make it linger even more than I usually would, because it really might be the last one I ever have from him. In fact, I’m fairly certain it will be, at least for this lifetime.
That’s what I’ll miss the most, not even the sensation of our making love, which is spectacular enough. It’s his kiss. It’s everything I ever hoped for when I imagined a perfect dream lover.
When Adam leaves, I ponder the idea of ordering some Tom E. Wong’s to replace the food I threw away, which was tainted by Roland’s touch. But it’s too late, I don’t want it anymore. He’s ruined what would have been my perfect last meal. And it doesn’t really matter, I don’t even bother to try to think of another treat. For some reason, I’m not that hungry.
Instead, I pick up my cell phone and dial the number for Jennifer, Tom’s Chosen One. I should have called her a long time ago, it would have been fun to have a famous friend, at least for a little while. And I should have gotten Staci the hook-up for her new job. But screw it, she’s always bragging about her connections, let her get ahead on her own.
The phone goes to voicemail, and I try to think of someone else I can call. The main line of Omnicom, and ask for Marion? I don’t even know her last name. But luckily, Jennifer calls me back right away.
“Meridian? Hey, what’s up? It’s Jenny.”
“Oh, hi. Listen, I’m sorry to bother you, but I need a favor. Do you have a number for Marion?”
“You want to call Marion? Why?”
And the bullshit rolls off my tongue. It amazes me what I can come up with under pressure.
“Well, I’m planning a little surprise for Adam, and I wanted to get her advice. You know how hard it is to shop for men, especially these men.”
“I could help you out if you like. I know some incredible stores …”
“And that would be fantastic,” I say, trying to sound enthused. “But actually, he mentioned this special brand of Bolivian cigars that he likes that Marion knows about, and I wanted to ask her the name. Only if you feel comfortable giving me the number, of course. I don’t want to impose …”
“Don’t be silly! Here it is …”
Her cell phone goes quiet, and I can tell she’s looking through it to get Marion’s number. Finally, Jennifer comes back on the line, and reads me the precious digits.
“Thanks.”
I’m good at memorizing numbers and don’t even write it down. After I say my goodbyes to Jennifer, I quickly dial, not wanting to forget. And I’m surprised when Marion picks up the line. I’m even more surprised that she seems to know who’s calling.
“Hello? Meridian?”
I don’t even want to know if it’s some psychic ability or a security measure that lets her know who’s dialing her cell. I have too much else on my mind.
“Marion, hi. Listen, I need to speak to you right away. Can I come over?”
“Of course. I’m in my quarters.”
“Um, I tend to get lost in the tower.”
“Don’t worry,” she says, full of courtesy. “Just use the same elevator you take to Adam’s place, only go to the 59th floor. I’ll meet you there.”
“Great. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
I hang up and leave right away, while I know Adam is distracted for a bit.
And as I leave my apartment building, I feel guilty on so many levels. I should have gone to the office first and put things in order for Roy Thompson. Then again, he hasn’t been the best boss, even though I’ve worked for him forever. Let him deal with the mess. I don’t even think to call my bitch sister in California, but I should at least say goodbye to Staci, my sister from another life. I should definitely write out a note for Adam, but maybe it’s better this way. He had my soul to live with for 100 years. He must know how I feel by now.
Every step that I take, I’m terrified that the Luminos will jump out at me, which might not be a bad thing. But if I go to them, Adam and Roland will keep looking. Even worse, they’ll eventually find me, and I’ll be stuck in the same predicament. This will be better. And when I get to the steps of the Omnicom building, I take a deep breath and go inside.
I walk right past the guards in the lobby, who don’t seem to look my way. There are office workers waiting at the elevators, an
d I pass them also and go to the service door that leads to the upper floors. Security seems lax, but it’s probably quite the opposite. I’m probably being watched. I know there are hidden cameras everywhere, and Marion has undoubtedly given the command that I’m to be let through.
I go to the freight elevator and ride it up to the almost top of the building. And when I get out, Marion is waiting for me there.
She’s wearing one of her more casual outfits, simple blue jeans and a V-neck T-shirt, with a sexy gold belt. And we laugh when we see each other, because, once again, we’re practically wearing the same thing, minus the waist accessory. She doesn’t have on much make-up, but her hair looks radiant. It’s shiny and falls straight to her shoulders, just a bit swept under at the ends. The cut probably cost hundreds of dollars, to be styled to such casual perfection, and for a split-second I wish I had dressed up for my dramatic last moments. But then, I always feel underdressed around Marion.
She smiles and gives me a hug when she sees me, but I react stiffly.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit?”
“I’m afraid it’s not going to be a pleasant one. I have something serious to discuss with you. Is there a place we can talk?”
“Of course,” she says. “Let’s go to my suite.”
Marion leads me through a new labyrinth of corridors, more white ones with little markings that scare me, because I’m truly at her mercy. I’ll never find my way back. And as we walk along, Marion turns to me.
“Meridian, you have me scared with all this talk of seriousness.”
“I thought you never got scared,” I say.
“Sadly, I do, all the time,” she says. “When you dodge death as often as I have, you begin to get a bit paranoid. You fear an attack around every corner. It’s one of the many downfalls of living an immortal life.”
“Really? But you always look so calm and collected.”
“It’s a facade, like everything in this life. I act that way, perhaps hoping that if I pretend long enough, I’ll be that person some day. But it’s a fool’s errand. The world is too full of mischief for anyone one person to control it completely.”
She smiles, but it’s tinged with sadness.
“You’d think I would have given up by now. But I suppose being immortal is not quite the same thing as being wise.”
And I feel sorry for my old friend, for a moment. It’s odd to feel pity for someone so rich and powerful, and I can’t help but to wonder how many neuroses these vampires develop over time, and how severe they become. I wonder how much money a shrink would pay for a glimpse into their psyches.
We reach a new corridor that’s more personal, and must signal a branch of the vampires’ housing, as it’s also filled with artwork and antique furniture. But this one is painted beige, it’s a brighter hallway than the one outside Adam’s room, and has lots of recessed areas where the pieces are displayed. There are little statues and delicate vases, and I almost feel like I’m in a museum. I wonder if there’s some significance, if different wings are meant to hold different works of art they’ve collected over time. Or maybe it’s more personal, and what’s displayed belongs to the vampires who live there.
Finally, we get to a set of double doors, which Marion opens for me with a smile.
“I’m sorry, it’s so rude of me not to have invited you here sooner, but life can get so busy, sometimes,” she says with a smile. “But I think you will like my little place. We seem to have similar tastes.”
She opens the doors to what looks like a room from a palace in Versailles. It’s huge, and there are two high backed chairs and a velvet sofa surrounding a low table on which tea and scones have been set out for us, along with some other treats. The table has clawed feet, which I always find amusing. They make the furniture seem alive.
Beyond the sofas lies a long dining table with a chandelier hanging over it, where she must hold her private gatherings. And the Parisian theme continues on the wall, where a huge painting hangs, one at least 15 feet long that depicts women in elaborate gowns and men in powdered wigs who may have been in Marie Antoinette’s court. And it’s a wonder to behold.
Thick curtains frame glass doors that lead to a patio outside, which freaks me out, just a bit. I could never step out on such a high floor of a building, and I wonder for a moment if the vampires can fly.
But Marion’s right, I do like her home within the tower. It’s exactly where I would want to live if I was a vampire queen. I only wish I wasn’t so nervous, so I could better enjoy it’s beauty.
“I was just telling someone that I’d love to visit Paris some day. This reminds me of it.”
“You’ve never been? Well, we’ll have to arrange a trip for you.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to happen for me in this lifetime,” I mutter, in a tone filled with remorse.
“Oh, don’t say that,” Marion says. “One never knows what life will bring. Please, sit.”
She offers me a place on one of the sofas, and Marion takes the chair to my right. She graciously pours me a cup of tea. The amber fluid smells delicious, like a mixture of lavender and chamomile. Unfortunately, I’m not in the mood to drink, unless it’s something much stronger, and I set the cup down on the table without tasting it.
Marion has her own beverage. She lifts a little flask from a bucket of ice, and sips from it through a straw. But when she sees that I’m not drinking, she sets hers down and faces me.
And I decide to get right to the point.
“Marion, I’m Saga.”
She turns her head away from me, and sighs in frustration.
“Oh, Meridian. I was so hoping you were not going to say that, though it hardly comes as a surprise,” she says, shaking her head. “The boys are such terrible liars. But, why? Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I need your help. Before they do something stupid.”
She wrinkles her brow in confusion.
“And what is it that you think they are going to do?”
“I think they’ll try to transform me, whether or not they have permission.”
“No, no, no,” she says, marring her perfect features with a look of disappointment. “That would be a mistake. Adam is not allowed to give the gift of the change. I would be forced to destroy you, Saga.”
“Then they’ll go to Paris, to get permission from the Elders.”
“And they are sadly mistaken in that, too. The Elders would never contradict me in such a way.”
“I know. So you can see my problem. You know how stubborn they are. I don’t think they’ll take ‘no’ for an answer. Not from anyone.”
“Not from anyone? Not even from me?” And her eyes look to me questioningly, with a kind of curiosity that borders on suspicion. “What else is there that you are not telling me?”
I’m silent for a moment, and I’m sure she can read it on my face. How do you tell someone that their friends want to murder them?
“You think they’re going to try to hurt me, don’t you?” she says, without waiting for my reply. “You think they will get me out of the picture, so Roland will be the next to make the change.”
“I think they’re going to do something stupid, that will get someone hurt, if not themselves, than someone else. And as old as they are, they should know better.”
Marion shakes her head, hissing in disgust.
“Of course they would,” she says. “They are men in love, and men in love will do ridiculous things. Even worse, they’ve had centuries to moon over their memories of you, and your mystery. Sometimes I think they’re so obsessed with you, because you are the one thing they could never have.”
I’m insulted by what she says, but it probably hurts because there’s an element of truth to it. They probably would become bored with me if they had me for a lifetime, or longer. Or they might come to the realization that they never really loved me at all. But then again, I can’t imagine Adam ever feeling that way. He certainly had enough
years of my ghost following him around to become sick of me, if that was going to happen.
But I try to forget all that, and focus on the task at hand.
“Marion, isn’t there something you can do? A way you could sneak me out of the city, somehow?”
“It would never work,” she says. “Adam is a natural born hunter. He would never stop searching for you. And I guarantee, he would find you eventually. Even worse, they would still try to assassinate me, thinking that you were out there somewhere, just for the chance to change you.”
“I don’t understand this,” I say, in frustration. “Why can’t I simply be allowed to live out my life without being changed at all? Why is there such a problem with my existence?”
“You are Luminos. You are our enemy, and we have rules about that. We are not forgiving of our foes. The one loophole would be if you were to be transformed before the memories came back, or before others discovered the truth. The blood is sacred that way, and once you are changed, you cannot be put to death. In fact, I would gladly change you myself, but I cannot pretend I did not know your true nature. It would only draw more suspicion on you, because the whispers are already too strong that you are Saga, that you have returned.”
Marion reaches over and gently strokes my cheek, which only confuses me further, because her gesture seems so sincere, so full of concern.
“I am like them, my old friend. I, too, have missed you. I remember the past, and how you so selflessly saved me. How you stepped aside from Adam for me. And I know that you’re doing it again, that you have come here to save me once more. I would do anything for you, Meridian. But there’s something the boys aren’t telling you …”
She leans closer, looking around, as though someone could be listening in on us. Marion has a nervous expression, and I’m frightened too, because whatever scares her must be terrifying, indeed.
“Roland believes you to be important to the vampire cause. He thinks he has hidden this from me, but it is a truth I learned long ago. And I am going to tell you something I have never shared with them, with anyone.”
The Meridian Gamble Page 41