Chapter One

There I was in a place I had already been twice and that was two times too many. That apparently abandoned warehouse where I had witnessed the Were Pack Master competition and then the war that ensued when an outside pack tried to take over. Now, here I was again. This time I was surrounded by all the men who claim to be in love with me. It was hard for me to believe that just 5 years ago dating was out of the question. Thinking of being intimate with a man seemed a goal I would never be able to obtain. Now, here standing in front of me was Bill, my first love in every way, the vampire that showed me how to love and hurt me so deeply I can't seem to forgive him, yet I know deep down I will always have feelings for him. Sam, my boss, my friend and although we have kissed a few times something or someone always keeps us from taking the relationship any further. Alcide, now the pack leader of the Longtooth pack, we met when he was forced to help me with a job Eric had sent me on and there was instant chemistry but the timing was never right, plus the fact that I had killed his ex-girlfriend seemed to loom over us but he still tried to date me ever so often. Then there is Quinn, pure muscle from the top of his smooth head down to his toes. He is the epitome of masculinity and when he shifts he is the most beautiful Bengal tiger. I really thought Quinn and I had a shot until I realized that he would always put his mom and sister before me no matter what the consequences were for him and I wanted to be first for the man that claims he loves me. Then there is Eric. Eric and I had some great times when he lost his memory, he lost his whole identity of himself, from the spell an evil witch had cast on him. Now anytime Eric is near me I feel so safe. It doesn't matter what is happening the blood bond we have allows Eric to calm me. He knows all my feeling and emotions and I feel his.

OK, but what are we all doing here! Here I am faced with all of these fine specimens of men, or some form thereof since none of them are actually human. Then with the deep rumbling voice that I feel all the way through me, the voice Quinn uses when he is hosting one of his events, he asks, "Babe, you know how we all feel about you, can you choose one of us"?

Usually at a moment like this I would use my "talent" to find out what people were thinking, but since I was the only human in the building and as far as I could tell there were only the six of us in the building I was at a complete disadvantage. I was nervous and unsure about what was going on and all I could think to say was "WHAT? What is going on here?"

It is very hard to be in a room alone with all the men you have been intimate with in some way or another. For one reason or another I had seen them all buck naked. And believe me any girl would be lucky to have anyone of these men love them and make love to them. I have only made love with three of these men and one only once I can still tell you that any of them have a lot to offer a girl in that capacity.

Again, Quinn spoke up. "Sookie, we stand here before you because we have all professed our undying love for you and want to know if you can choose between us once and for all? If you choose the rest of us have agreed not to interfere in the relationship and will no longer harass you for your affections". As if this weren't enough, they actually thought I could do this; would do this? Then Eric spoke up. "Lover, we know this may not be a choice you can make on your own. If you feel you can not make this choice then we will help you make it." Then Quinn made a movement and reached up and pulled a rope. The black tarp behind the men fell. There was a ring, like boxers fight in, only it was caged in with silver mesh!

"What do you mean you will choose for me", is all I could seem to come up with while I just stood staring at the cage. Then me being the person I am, "Who do you think any of you are to choose for me? What right do any of you have to make any decisions for me?" Bill stepped forward in that surly way only he can and reached to me in that low voice only he can and it still touches me down low, "Darling we know that each of us have pulled you in so many directions and we all deeply care for you and it is just apparent to us that you will never be able to choose between us since in some way we have all done you wrong. But we all want for your happiness and we want you safe and loved".

Alcide came forward, "Sookie we have decided that a battle is the only way. We will prove our love to you by stepping into the cage two at a time and battle for you love"

"What do you mean battle for my love? You five intend on hurting possibly killing each other over me? And then you expect me to "be" with the last man standing!?" I looked to the only man that hadn't spoken yet, "Sam are you really going to be a part in this?"

"Sookie," Sam said, "you know that I have hidden my feelings for years for you. When I finally realized how much you meant to me it was too late you had already fallen for Bill". That was said with a slight sideways glare in Bill's direction from Sam. "Don't fear for me, although in human stature I may be comparatively smaller or not as strong, you yourself know when I shift I am equal to them all. Sookie, whatever the outcome, it will be worth it to all of us to finally know, to finally have a decision made and then maybe we can all get on with our lives. Just as you are not willing to share us or be with all of us none of us are willing to share your affections. It's time to make a choice or it will be made for you." Sam always did have a way of making me look at things from the inside out.

"I can't let any of you do this. You have no right to think that I would just allow the one of you that came out conqueror to scoop me up and ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. There will be pain and bleeding and possibly worse and it will be my own fault. How do any of you expect me to live with that?" At this point tears are streaming down my face and my voice is shaky and I need to sit down as my knees are about to give way. Eric moves forward so quickly I barely noticed. He took hold of my elbow to steady me and motioned with his head and Alcide brought a chair. Not that I needed it anymore. Just a mere touch from Eric makes me feel so much better, damn blood bond. But I sit. I am still in disbelief. I can't believe what is happening. I can't believe what I am faced with. What am I going to do! I can't let them do this. One of them may get seriously injured or even killed and that would be because of me. I look up at each one of them for a long second. I couldn't believe what I was about to do, what I was about to say.

"I will choose". "I will choose and the rest of you will have to live with my decision as you have stated before. No interference, you will let us be happy and you will not try and dissolve the relationship". Dissolve that was a nice way to say they weren't going to kill each other off after the decision was made. The men in front of me looked astonished. They looked nervous. They looked like they all needed a chair. Now how do I go about this? I need to think about this. Where do I begin? Do I just put names in a hat and draw from them? Best two out to three? No, maybe they were right, maybe it is time to choose. I want to be, I need to be happy and I know that any one of these men would give his life for me to keep me safe and do everything within his power to make me happy. "Gentlemen, this isn't going to be easy! But I would like you all to stay and stay put until I have finished and then the one I choose will walk away with me and then maybe we can all get on with our lives." The huge warehouse was so silent. I knew my vampires weren't breathing, but I wasn't sure the other men were either.

"Alcide", I said my voice a little unsteady, "you and I definitely have physical chemistry and we have had some very pleasant times together and any girl would be lucky to have you. But I don't think you can ever truly see past the fact that I killed Debbie, even though it was in self defense, and I think anytime we have issues this would some how waft into the equation. I care very much about you and your well being and wish you luck in your future, but I don't think we could ever have a long lasting relationship." Alcide looked at me with understanding on his face and sadness in his eyes and said, "Sookie, if you ever need me I will be there. You will always remain a friend of the pack". Wow, that was so difficult but it was only going to become more difficult. But I thought he took it graciously. Next!

"Quinn, you are an amazing man and an amazing creature. I really had hoped that you and I had found each other at the right time and would be able to continue our relationship into something spectacular." "Babe, I" and I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Please listen, this is very difficult as it is. Quinn, I truly understand how important family is having so precious little of it myself. But, I do need to know that if having to choose between me living and dying or you rushing off to be with your mother, I need to know that I would live. And I would never want to put you in that position. Besides, I think that the bond Eric and I have and the fact you were witness to it may be too much for you in the long run." Then I walked up to him and stretched to whisper in his ear so very low so the rest couldn't hear. "Know that I will always protect your secret, no one will ever know that you killed Andre and know that I know you did this out of your feelings for me to keep me safe, and that means so much to me". With that he turned his head and put his huge hands on either side of my face and laid the softest of kisses on my forehead.

With a deep sigh and a tear in my eye I knew I had to continue. I took in a deep breath and looked at the faces before me one more time. "Sam", and there was a visible drop in his shoulders and he looked at the floor. "Sam", I repeated, "you are very important to me not only as my boss but as one of my best friends. You have helped me through so much but I need for our relationship to stay as it is. I need your support not as a lover but as a friend, I know we have had our moments but I have come to think of you as part of my family. Sam, I love you. I will always love you. But my love for you is different and has grown beyond anything I could have ever hoped for. Do you think we can maintain that relationship or do I need to find another job?" "Sook, you know you have a job with me for as long as you want. I love you, and if your friendship is all you can give me and not your heart then this is what I will take". Sam always makes me feel good.

Now, here I am faced with the hardest decision of my life. The one I have struggle with and avoided making for a couple of years now. One that is continuously tearing my heart out and it was time to do this. Eric and Bill were both standing side by side tense and unblinking. I started, "Bill" and he grew even tenser and a smug look went on Eric's face, "Eric", I continued…
WHAT'S THAT NOISE… A SIREN…. Amelia burst into my room waking me from a dead sleep… that was the most intense dream I think I have ever had! I was still trying to focus on Amelia and trying to awaken from my dream state. It was just a dream. I really wasn't about to make a choice between Bill and Eric. Not quite awake yet I was thinking to myself, what is my subconscious trying to tell me? "Sookie", Amelia screamed, "where is the fire extinguisher!" Amelia had been practicing magic out of her range again.