KAREN: Debra St. John is a best selling author at The Wild Rose Press. Her beautifully written love stories will warm your heart. In her flash fiction, The Choice, the clock is ticking... At midnight on the 31st, a woman must make a life altering decision. No matter the choice she makes, her life changes forever...
***Giveaway: Debra is giving away an Ebook copy of The Vampire and the Vixen to one lucky winner! Winner's choice of format. Read on and find out how you may add this fabulous prize to your goody bag!
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter daily for extra chances to win one of the Grand Prizes!
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter daily for extra chances to win one of the Grand Prizes!
THE CHOICE by Debra St. John
A
week isn't enough time to make a decision regarding the rest of my life.
It
certainly isn't enough time to make a decision about eternity.
But
that's exactly what I have to do. I have until the stroke of midnight on
October 31 to decide. No pressure or anything, right?
I
want to be angry with Damien, but that isn't fair. He's been given an ultimatum
too. One we're both forced to abide by.
I
swallow the lump in my throat as I place a pumpkin shaped cookie at each place
around the half-moon table. The tiny chairs tug at my heart. There isn't much
call for preschool teachers at night. Even if such a position existed, no one
would let toddlers near the undead.
A
glance at the clock shows my little charges will return shortly. The second hand
sweeping around reminds me time is slipping away. Each tick brings me closer to
the deadline. Closer to deciding my fate.
Fate
should just happen, right? You shouldn't have to make a decision. Then again,
perhaps fate had already intervened in my life when I met Damien.
I
picture his sinfully dark hair and midnight blue eyes. It had been love at
first sight. Now, his kindness and compassion make me fall deeper in love the longer I know him.
I
can't imagine my life without him. But how can I say good-bye to my family and
friends?
At
the beginning I'd been foolish enough to believe I could have both Damien and
my life in the human world. Now, I understand why I can't. He's stayed longer
than he usually does because of me. Before we met, he'd already lingered long
enough for people to start wondering why he wasn't aging.
Damien
will never grow old, and if I want to be with him, I'll have to become a
vampire, too.
That
part doesn't bother me.
It's
the people involved. The decision is tearing me in two. No matter what I decide,
I'll lose someone I love. If I choose Damien, I'll never see my family or
friends again. If I decide not to be turned, I'll lose Damien: the other half
of my soul.
****
Damien
arrives at my apartment after sunset. He takes one look at my face and pulls me
into his arms. I nestle against him, breathing in his familiar scent.
"Ah,
cara mia, this is torturing
you." He kisses the top of my head. "Perhaps I should just erase myself
from your memory and let you get on with your life."
Panic
stabs into me. I pull away to look at him. "No." The decision is easy.
"Change me."
His
eyes light, then darken. He strokes a finger down my cheek. "Are you sure,
bella? You're condemning yourself to
a life of darkness. Forever."
"I'm
committing myself to an eternity with the man I love."
"I
love you, too." The words melt into a kiss.
Desire
ignites and spreads. This. This is why I had no other choice. With Damien, my
life is complete. Whole. Without him, I have no life.
Before
we can get too carried away, I break the kiss. "You'll make people forget,
right? They won't...wonder...what happened to me?"
His
lips brush my cheek. "I vow to you, they won't mourn for you. They won't
suffer."
I
nod.
"I
can erase them from your memory, too. So you won't be forced to remember what
you gave up. For me."
I
frame his face in my hands. "For us. And no, I don't want you to erase my
memories." I tamp down the pain of loss. "I want to remember them.
And I want to remember I chose you."
"Cara." He gathers me close. "I
promise, I'll never give you one moment to regret your choice."
"I
won't." I take a deep breath. "I'm ready. Now."
His
eyes widen. "Now?"
"Yes.
It's time to let go of my human life."
Indecision
wars in his eyes. He wants me. But he doesn't want it to be this way.
I
place my hand over the spot where his heart used to beat. "Damien. Don't
worry. I'm sure." I pause. "While I'm...out...you'll take care of the
memories? My family. Friends."
"I
promise." He closes his eyes for a moment. Opens them. Resignation mixed
with acceptance fills the dark irises. He doesn't have a choice either. Fate
brought us together. And insists we remain that way. Forever. Neither of us can
live without the other. "I'll summon Emile."
"No."
I don't want his maker to change me. "I want you to do it."
Damien
nods and leads me to the couch. He brushes the hair away from my neck, his
fingers lingering at the pulse fluttering there.
It
beats more rapidly as fear and excitement course through me in equal measure.
"Dio, forgive me," he murmurs. His
lips brush my throat.
I
shudder when his tongue rasps over the sensitive skin. Warmth spreads, consuming
me.
"When
the sun sets tomorrow night, you'll awaken to your new life."
"I
love you, Damien." I arch my neck and close my eyes. Instead of pain, the
pierce of his fangs sends a rush of desire through me. On a wave of sensation,
I drift into darkness.
****
"Bella mia, can you hear me?" The whispered
words are accompanied by the soft brush of fingers against my cheek.
My
eyelids flutter open. Damien's midnight blue eyes stare down at me.
"Amore." A smile curves his lips.
"How do you feel?"
I
touch his face. The familiar abrasion of whiskers against my palm sends a jolt
through me. "More alive than I've ever felt before." How ironic.
Since now, technically, I'm dead. Or is it undead?
I
certainly don't feel dead. I feel like getting a whole lot of naked with the
man staring down at me with wonder and love. "Make love to me."
His
eyes darken. "Oh yes. Now. And for the rest of eternity."
The End
The End
Kelsey Adams is determined to get ahead without the influence of a famous father or by getting special favors from her boss. So it was a big mistake to kiss Rafe Alexander on the balcony at a library fundraiser.
Rafe is mysterious, charming, and sexy. And he's Kelsey's new boss. He wants people to accept him for what he is. Which could be difficult because Kelsey has more than a sneaking suspicion he's a vampire.
Can she look beyond that and trust him with her heart to have the future she wants? And will he still be there when the sun comes up?
***Giveaway: One lucky commenter will win an Ebook copy of The Vampire and the Vixen. Winner's choice of format. Question: Would you choose eternity with the one you love, or be thankful for the memories? Don't forget to leave your email so Debra may contact you if you should win.
About the Author:
Debra St.
John has been reading and writing romance since high school. She always dreamed
about publishing a romance novel some day. Her dream came true when she
started writing sultry contemporary romance with sexy heroes and spunky
heroines for The Wild Rose Press. Although
she's a country gal at heart, she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband, who is her real life hero.
she's a country gal at heart, she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband, who is her real life hero.

Her holiday stories include A Christmas to Remember, An Unexpected Blessing (Thanksgiving), and her latest release, The Vampire and the Vixen for Halloween.
Wild Wedding Weekend completes her bookshelf.
20 comments:
Debra,
Thanks so much for joining us for the Halloween Flash Fiction Bash!
I do love vampire stories!
Your Question: Would you choose eternity with the one you love, or be thankful for the memories? The person would have to be really special to give up so much. My heart would say eternity, but my logical thinking would speak up and say thanks for the memories. lol
I enjoyed your flash fiction. :)
Oh, I do love that story, Debra! As for your question - if it's that kind of all-consuming love, it would be difficult to give it up, yet the romantic in me likes the idea of living with the memories. Sitting on the fence here!
Karen,
Thanks so much for having me as a part of your Flash Fiction Bash. I've really been enjoying the stories...
And thanks for the super shout out!
Hmn? You pose a tough question. I think I could go for an eternity here on Earth with the one I love.
Love the flash fiction, Debra! Great read. I have absolutely no idea what I'd choose--I know, that's a lame answer, but it requires a lot more thought for me than I can give it here. I'm sorry. I don't like the idea of living forever, but I also don't like the idea of giving up the one I love. So I'm torn.
Hi, Debra - I loved Vampire and the Vixen! Keep on writing!
Your question? Well, I'll avoid an answer by saying I'll cross that bridge when it comes up. So to speak.
Thanks for the flash fiction!
Nice story, Debra! If I'd found the man for all time, I'd jump, too.
Hi Jen,
I'm glad you liked the piece. Thanks for your advice on its tense when it was in the beginning stages.
Ashantay,
Thanks for commenting. So glad you liked The Vampire and Vixen.
Enjoyed the flash fiction.
Tough question, my heart would say yes, but my practical side would say stay with the memories.
skpetal at hotmail dot com
Hi Ana...Thanks for saying hello!
Jean, It IS a tough question, isn't it?!
Very hard question. Id have to say, id enjoy the memories. I dont think i could handle all my family and friends dying and me still here. Im really close with my family. Id enjoy the memories. Thanks for sharing! Your book sounds awesome! Thank you!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Shadow,
I agree. It would be really hard to leave my family behind.
Thanks for visiting.
Such a beautiful, romantic story filled with emotion. Thanks.
Thanks, Cara!
Great story, Debra - but what a dilemma! I honestly don't know which I would choose.
@Debra St. JohnYou're so welcome for the 'shout out'. Well deserved. :)
Debra,
I enjoyed the story. Lots of emotion.
I don't know if I would sacrifice all to be with one guy (vampire). I have lots of family and good friends. It would be a tough decision. :)
cnickol at verizon dot net
That was nice
Maybe eternity
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
That was nice
Maybe eternity
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Hi Paula!
Cathy, Definitely a tough decision.
Tough choice, but if I managed to truly fall in love with someone, I would want to be with them.
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