Sookie leaned against the balcony railing, the city of Las Vegas spread out before her. The sky was darkening; the lights of the casinos were blinking to life. Soon it would be night time and the vampires would walk amongst them.

Three weeks she had been here, imprisoned in this suite of rooms at Felipe's hotel. Three weeks without Eric, Pam, or any of her friends. Three weeks spent wondering what was to become of her. She wanted to blame Felipe, blame Eric, anyone but herself. She shivered in the cooling air and pulled her wrap tighter around her. She knew now it was no one's fault but her own.

When she'd broken the bond with Eric, she truly hadn't contemplated the repercussions of her actions. In the weeks since, she'd made several discoveries: her feelings for Eric had not been due to the presence of the bond; Eric had not been exaggerating when he'd told her the bond was for the best.

She'd been so busy looking at the world with human eyes, measuring everything against her human morality... She knew Eric was manipulative and would do anything to have her. She had not believed him when he tried to tell her he was being honest with her. It was the truth though, Eric had cared for her. Eric had wanted to be bonded to her. He would have bonded to her even if he hadn't, just to protect her. She had also learned that her Stackhouse stubbornness didn't always work in her favour.

With the bond broken, killing Victor had not been sufficient to keep Sookie from the King's grasp. In the last three weeks, it had become clear to Sookie that her wants and her rights were not the same thing, especially when dealing with vampires.

She heard a knock on the door and knew it was time. She closed the balcony door behind her, and went to the door of her suite.

"Come in," she called, opening the door to reveal Felipe de Castro.

"Sookie," he said, kissing the back of her hand with his fangs showing. "You look as lovely as ever."

"Thank you," she said, nodding her head politely. She steadfastly refused to bow before him.

The king took her arm and led her out of the suite. Her were guards remained posted at the door; the king's bodyguards escorted them down to one of the casino's ballrooms. Tonight, de Castro was hosting a large gathering to celebrate their bonding, showing off his latest acquisition. She took her place next to him at their table on the dais, looking out at the crowd of vampires who had been invited. Normally, at this proximity, she would have been able to feel Eric's presence, but now that the bond was gone she had no proof that he was there. She could only hope that he would reveal himself eventually. While de Castro and his Lieutenants made boring speeches, she glanced surreptitiously about the room. Finally, in the very back, she could see Eric's blond head hovering a few inches above the other heads gathered around him.

The Sadistic Fuck that he was, Felipe was magnanimous enough to let her have one last dance with her Viking. He held her close and swayed her gently around the dance floor.

"I'm so sorry Eric," she whispered against his chest. "This is my fault..."

"Shhh, Lover," he murmured back, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "It's fine."

She pressed her face as close to him as possible and inhaled his scent deeply.

"Sookie," Eric said, drawing her gaze up to his with a finger under her chin. "You will need to be brave."

She nodded. There was nothing else they could do. Felipe was too powerful, had too many loyal vampires to support him. There was no way Eric and Pam would be able to pull off her rescue and survive. They knew this; Felipe knew it too.

"I will," she answered. She was terrified. Tonight she would be forced to drink the king's blood for the third time. There was no way around it. She wasn't certain she'd be able to fend off his sexual advances for another night. The thought of living here day after day, being held against her will, forced to use her powers for Felipe's gain and raped every night was simply too much for her to contemplate.

Felipe hadn't lied when he'd told her she was strong enough to do what she needed to, it was true. He simply did not understand their view of what she needed to do was not the same.

"I love you, Eric," she whispered.

"And I love you, Sookie Stackhouse," Eric replied and released her, bowing low before disappearing into the crowd.

Pam approached her, pulling her close. "You are strong Sookie; no one can make you do anything you don't want to do, remember that."

When Sookie looked up, she saw the red streaks on her friends face. She quickly hugged Pam once more and made her way back to Felipe's side.

He looked so smug when she returned, taking her hand and kissing it. He rose and made his goodbyes, alluding to his companion's eagerness to complete their bonding. She wanted to vomit; he made her sick. They went to her rooms, where she allowed him to undress her, feed on her and give his blood to her. Immediately she could feel his pleasure and satisfaction at finally having her. She filled her side of the bond with her distinct lack of interest in sex with him, hoping that her disdain would somehow impact his ability to perform. He was not happy, but he did not force himself upon her. He wanted her to come to her willingly. He expected that since their bonding was complete, it would only be a matter of time before she succumbed to his wishes.

Just before dawn, he kissed her good bye and made his way to his day chamber. He did not trust her enough to permit her access to him at his most vulnerable.

Sookie woke in the early afternoon and called down to room service, asking for fresh fruit, coffee and a bottle of wine. She chatted amicably with the weres guarding her door. She excused herself to freshen up for the evening.

She phoned Eric's number and left him a message. She smiled to herself as she brushed her hair in the mirror and thought about her plans for the evening. She checked the newspaper for the predicted time of the sunset. She turned on the stereo in her room, slipped on a comfortable outfit, opened the bottle of wine and danced around to the songs on the radio. It was one of the few pleasures she still had for herself. A few minutes before sunset, she stepped out onto the balcony. She had a beautiful view from her room on the twelfth floor.

She gazed out at the strip, watching the lights blinking on. She looked down at the garden Felipe had commissioned. It was done in what she imagined was the style of Spanish architecture from the time he was human. It was walled in, and filled with lush plants and trees. Felipe had taken her on a tour one of her first nights here. He had gone on at length about how much he enjoyed visiting the space and spend time reflecting. It was clear it was important to him.

She leaned against the railing of the balcony, thinking about how much she hated Felipe. She thought about Eric, how badly she'd hurt him by removing their bond, and how quickly he'd forgiven her. She thought about her Gran, and how Adele had always taught her that she was a strong woman who did not need to rely on anyone but herself to pull through. She thought about Pam, who had never stopped to feel sorry for her loss of life, instead embracing the option she'd been given. Sookie now realized it took a lot of strength and bravery for a person to do that. She knew that she too had the strength to make the right choices when presented with undesirable options.

Sookie finished her glass of wine. She stood in the evening air with her eyes closed and let the wind blow through her hair. Felipe may have taken her away from Eric's protection, but he could never take her away from herself. He could threaten her and force her, but he could never own her. She refused to be powerless in her own life. She wouldn't let anyone use her to hurt anyone else, ever.

Sookie felt the moment that Felipe awoke. She could sense his happiness through their newly formed bond. She let him feel her current peace and calm. She closed her eyes and pretended he was standing there in front of her. She imagined seeing the change in his usually smug facial expression when he figured out that she had bested him.

With a smile on her face, Sookie Stackhouse leapt towards her future.