Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe…
Choosing Between Two Men
by L.M. Pruitt
Until you realize - you’re going to have to make a choice.
For most women in that situation, their final choice may hinge on something such as future prospects or religion or their parents ( hey, in-laws are a big deal ). For a woman living in a world populated with vampires and full of crazy magic, there are a few other things that need to be taken into account.
1. Is he human?
This may or may not be a deal breaker. For one, it depends on the kind of not-human he is. Maybe he was human at one point and he was changed into something a little less human. He may have never been human, but has always been fascinated with humans and so has a good grip on their culture. Either way, you need to be realistic about the prospects of long-term romance when there’s a good chance he’ll either never die or is just super hard to kill. Can you face the idea of growing old while he stays the same age? Or would you rather grow old with someone? If being full of wrinkles while he’s still young and spry doesn’t bother you, let’s move on to number two.
2. Is he dangerous?
Let’s face it, some species of non/former human creatures are more deadly than others. It’s kind of a universally accepted fact that demons are not going to be fluffy little kittens, no matter how sexy and sweet they may come across as. Oh, they’re definitely good to have on your side in a fight, but can you imagine what would happen if you burned dinner at the end of a long day? Okay, a little exaggeration, but the point remains. If you don’t mind living each day as if you might have your throat ripped out or a limb ripped off, then skip this and move on to the third question.
3. Where do you fall in his priorities?
This is the kicker here, folks. Maybe your number one guy is a vampire with a short fuse and your number two guy is a banker who donates to three different charities and has never been in a fight. Where do you fall on each person’s list? If the vampire has made it perfectly clear he can’t live without you while the banker is still wobbling on the fence - go for the vampire. Seriously. Throw out any reservations you may have because he’s not human and he might bite you at an inopportune time.
~*~
One of my favorite quotes of probably all time comes from Karen Marie Moning’s Shadowfever :
“There's nothing I can't live with. Only things I won't live without.”
This, more than anything else, sums up what you need to consider and look for when deciding between two men. Which one do you refuse to live without? Which one, if they were lost to you for all time, would cause a hole to open up that would never be filled, no matter what you did? When you can answer that question, you’ve made your choice.
If you can’t… well. Things just got interesting, didn’t they?
Shades of Grey on Kindle / both $3.44 / Shades of Desire on Kindle
“If someone doesn’t get me a lemon in the next five minutes, everyone will suffer. A lot.”
“Jude, I love you. Which is why I can say you’re being just a little overdramatic.” One look at my face and Theo changed his tune. “But then again, you could say pregnancy is dramatic and you’re just getting into the groove.”
“Nice save.” I tried to sit up again. Halfway through the upward movement greasy waves of nausea rolled over me and I eased back down onto the pillow. Strands of black hair clung to my sweaty face and I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. “Not as nice as that lemon would be right now, but nice.”
“Elizabeth will be here in a moment. No doubt she’ll have a lemon. And tea. And toast.” Theo turned over to face me, laying one hand over my still mostly flat stomach. If you looked close, you could see the smallest of bumps.
I know, because I checked. Every other day or so.
If anybody told me three months ago, that the week before Halloween, I’d be lying in bed with a man who absolutely adored me—even the crazy parts—I’d have asked them what the hell they were smoking. If they’d thrown in being pregnant, I would have punched them in their jaw. Then gone to the store and bought a dozen pregnancy tests and prayed for them all to be negative.
But that was before the Covenant.
In two weeks, I’d gone from being an orphan raised by nuns, to the latest in a long line of only daughters. Women charged with the protection and well-being of hundreds of people with unique powers. Some made flame burn for hours, while others called the wind to knock you flat on your ass. They were a group of people who came together over two-hundred years ago, bound by a prophecy. One with no past, lost in the present, will bring in the future, through gifts of both this world and the next.
And lucky me, I’d passed the job interview.
I’d sent Hart to a muddy, watery grave-literally. Unless something went crazy wrong, he’d stay under the Mississippi until the Final Judgment. Williams ruled the vampires of the city now and kept his distance as much as possible.
And I, Jude Magdalyn Henries, led the Covenant. Maybe I wasn’t terrific at it. But Gillian would be proud.
All things considered, I think I came out with a pretty good deal.
Yummy Guest Blog, am I right?
Which one would you go for the Vampire or the banker?
