Finally, I have completed this chapter. I have had such a crazy weekend so this one took forever. Now that the weekends over I should be back to posting at least 2 chapter's a day. This chapter is in both Eric's and Sookie's POV. Hope you really enjoy this one.

I'd also like to thank everyone again for the reviews!

These character's belong to Charlaine Harris.


Eric's POV

As Sookie, Pam, and I walked into the party all eyes turned to us. It was as if everything had stopped for a few seconds. As much as I would like to think it was because I was walking in with the two most beautiful women here, I could not help but think that it was because of the trial that was looming over my head.

We went straight to the bar and I got Pam and myself each a glass of Royalty Blended and Sookie a gin and tonic. While we were at the bar I was approached by Sandy. She said she wanted to talk to me alone. I told Pam to watch over Sookie while I went to speak with her.

Sandy and I exited the party and found a secluded spot in the corner of the hall outside. I wondered what the fuck this was about and why she fucking wanted to talk to me. "Sandy," I asked. "What the fuck is this about? What do you have to say to me?" "Sheriff, are you ready for your trial?" "Sandy, I believe so. I have a meeting with my lawyer tomorrow night to go over the last minute details. You and Felipe must know I have a very good defense." "Good. I hope you are ready and I do know your defense is good. I personally do not agree with the charges which have been brought against you, but I work for Felipe, so I have to be on his side in court. He is not going to make it easy on you. I do think that was a smart move requesting the adjudicator change. I just wanted you to know that. Also Sheriff, know that luck is on your side in this trial. I have to go now. Have a good evening Sheriff."

I stayed outside the party for a few minutes to gather my thoughts which were running a mile a minute. What Sandy had said was just fucking bizarre. Why would Sandy come to me and tell me she does not agree with the charges. If Felipe found out the shit would definitely hit the fan. Could it be possible that something I am not aware of is going on here?

I went back into the party and found Pam and Sookie. "Ladies, I just had the strangest conversation with Sandy. I can't help but think something strange is going on here. Something I do not know about. Anyway, I will explain more, when we have a little more privacy," I said. They just looked at me. I said, "Lets enjoy this evening and we will definitely talk later about this."

Pam saw an old friend from Minnesota, who had apparently recently relocated to Las Vegas, so she left me and Sookie to be alone. "Lover, would you like more to drink?" "Sure, I guess I will take another gin and tonic." I took Sookie's arm and we made our way to the bar again.

When Sookie and I got to the bar, I got myself another Royalty blended and Sookie's gin and tonic. As we stood by the bar, we were approached by Jonathon. Since Victor's death, he had been running Louisiana for Felipe.

Jonathon said in a very ambiguous way, "Sheriff, I just wanted to wish you luck with your trial." Then he just walked away. This was getting more and more peculiar by the moment. Now Jonathon was wishing me luck. I wondered what was going on within Felipe's ranks. I could not tell if he was really wishing me luck because he wanted me to win or if he was wishing me luck because he is an asshole and thought I did not have a chance. Could he be a part of whatever was going on too?

Sookie and I were still standing by the bar when Sandy came out on the stage. She said, "Good evening ladies and gentleman. Thank you all for attending the Annual Kingdom Meeting. Without further ado, may I introduce, your King, Felipe de Castro."

Felipe came out onto the stage and everyone in the room bowed. Sookie was not to going to bow, but I grabbed her arm to let her know that she fucking needed to. Now that she was considered my wife under vampire law, she had no choice but to follow the protocol we vampires follow. Felipe began to speak. "Welcome my Sheriffs and loyal subjects. I hope you all enjoy my hotel, while you are here. There are many important matters to discuss this week, but I do hope that even with all the business at hand, you all find time to enjoy yourselves. Meetings will begin tomorrow night at nine o'clock. Until then I would like you all to take pleasure in this evenings festivities."

Sookie and I continued to mingle. I introduced her to many of the new Sheriffs, which she had not yet met. Almost everyone I came in contact with seemed strange to be around. They all seemed to make comments to me indicating they were on my side and wishing me luck. It was almost like they all knew something that I did not. Almost as if there was a mutiny of sorts about to happen. I finally decided it was because most of the vampires in attendance were sheriffs or their seconds so they know how it feels to have someone infringe on your right to run your area as Felipe had with me. I supposed that could make another act fucking strange around you.

After about two hours of mingling I asked Sookie if she would like to go for a walk. Sookie looked up at me and said, "I think that would be a great idea."

Sookie and I found Pam. I asked her if I could have a word with her. She followed us out into the hall outside the ballroom to the same secluded corner where I spoke with Sandy. I explained to her about how everyone seems to be on my side of this trial, including Felipe's own and of my feelings that there may be something happening that we do not know about. She agreed that there may be something going on. I told her Sookie and I were leaving and we may not be back to the party this evening. She told me she would feel around and see what she could find out and would see me at dark tomorrow.

Pam made her way back into the party and Sookie and I left the hotel. We walked down the strip. Sookie was beginning to get cold so I offered her my jacket. Thank God I fucking remembered her ring was in there. As I took the jacket off, I grabbed the ring and stuck it in my pants pocket. Sookie did not notice because I also grabbed my wallet out at the same time.

As we were walking we came upon the Bellagio fountains Sookie told me her shoes were starting to hurt her feet and that she wanted to sit for a while. I figured that was a pretty good spot to sit down. While we were there we could enjoy the show. I knew Sookie would think the fountains were beautiful. We found a bench and sat down. I put my arm around my lover.

As we sat there, Sookie said, "Why do you think they were all being so weird tonight? Everyone seemed to be on your side and with my previous experience with vampires; they are never all on your side." I thought back to what Cataliades said about the Tribunal looking out for me. I said, "Lover, I do not know. I can only assume that they are afraid of Felipe being able to do this to them, but I cannot help but think there may me more going on than I am aware of. I just do not know how it all fits together. I suppose we will find out more as the week progresses."

The show began to start. Sookie looked up at the fountains and the lights and began to smile. She was so fucking beautiful. At that moment it came to me. This was it. This was the time I was fucking waiting for. I said to Sookie, "I love you. I want to spend as much time with you as I can. You are what I live for." She looked at me smiling and said, "I love you too, Eric. I plan on spending as much time as I can with you."

"Sookie, when I told you that we were pledged to each other you said it was not a marriage you would recognize and it was not recognized under Louisiana state law," I said as I placed my hand into my pocket. She replied, "Eric, I don't want you to have the wrong idea. I did feel that way, but I know what you did, you did to protect me and there was no other choice. I am used to the idea now. It's okay."

"No Sookie, it is not okay. Everything we have between us has been against your will. It is not fair. I know how important your will is to you." "Eric, its okay." "Sookie, it is not fair to you. How can you say it is okay?" "Eric, it has all worked out. We are together now and I love you. Sure, it may not have happened in a perfect way, but I love you. It doesn't matter anymore how it happened."

"It matters to me. You had no choice in the blood bond and no choice in the pledging. I want to give you a choice," I said as I reached into my pocket, and pulled out the ring box. I guess it was because of the nature of our conversation and the beauty of the show, but she looked like she was about to fucking cry. I don't even think she fucking noticed what I was doing. I got down on one knee and opened the box holding it out in front of her. I grabbed her hand with my free hand and said, "Sookie Stackhouse, would you do me the honor of being my wife? Under human law of course."

She did not say anything at first. She just looked at me with complete shock on her face. I was about to fucking flip out I was so nervous. What if she says no? I did not know if I should speak or if I should just sit there. I did not know what to fucking do until she grabbed me and hugged me and said yes.

When she said yes, I was fucking elated. I put my arms around her and kissed her. I pulled away quickly took her left hand and put the ring on her finger. "Eric, it's beautiful," she said as she looked at the ring. "Not as beautiful as you, my lover."

Sookie's POV

Eric and I left the hotel and went for a walk. As we were walking, I said, "Eric, I'm getting kind of cold." He asked, "Lover would you like my jacket?" "Sure," I replied. He got his wallet out of his jacket and put it in his pocket. He then put the jacket onto my shoulders. He was so sweet and thoughtful, I thought to myself.

As we walked hand and hand down the sidewalk, Eric pointed out different sites to see here in Vegas. I was impressed with all the people, the elaborate buildings, and the lights. I was glad that I had mastered control of my gift, because this enjoyable experience would be awful, if I hadn't.

We had walked pretty far and I was walking in three-inch heals, so my feet were starting to hurt badly. I said, "Eric, can we stop for a few minutes. My feet really hurt." "Sure lover, we will stop at the next bench we see." "That bench happened to be a few feet away right in front of the Bellagio fountains.

As we sat there I asked Eric why everyone was being so weird tonight. He really didn't have an answer to my question. He did seem to think we'd find out more as the week went on. I hoped so because I didn't think I could enjoy myself if it got any weirder. I also hoped that everyone did have his back as it seemed.

The fountains, lights and music came on in front of me and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I couldn't help but smile. As we sat there and watched the show, Eric told me he loved me and that he wanted to spend as much time as possible together. I agreed. I do love him and I want to be with him all the time. I hate it when we are apart.

He began acting a little strange. I guess he was just caught up thinking about the trial and the reactions about it he got from everyone tonight. He started telling me how unfair our relationship has been to me. How he was sorry things happened the way they did. How I should have had a choice in the blood bond and the marriage. I told him that it was okay. That it all worked out for the best and that the decisions he made were best for me. He had made them all to protect me. Who could argue with that? I sure couldn't.

I couldn't figure out why he was bringing all this up now. I just continued to assure him it was okay. I told him that our relationship may not have happened in the most perfect way, but it didn't even matter how it happened anymore. We were together and that's what mattered.

He told me it mattered to him because I didn't have a choice in any of it and said he wanted to give me a choice right now. I thought, oh my god, is he going to break up with me. I wondered what was bringing this on. What did I do to make him want to leave me? He was just telling me how much he loved me and now he wants to leave me. I was about to start crying.

Right then, as I was about to ball my eyes out, Eric got down on one knee in front of me and held an open box with a ring in it out to me. He grabbed my hand and said, "Sookie Stackhouse, would you do me the honor of being my wife? Under human law of course."

I was in complete shock. I just stared at him. I didn't know what to say. This was big and if I said yes things were going to surely change. I couldn't believe he was asking me to marry him. I never thought he would. Here I thought he was about to leave me and he did the exact opposite. I didn't know what to say or do so I just grabbed him and hugged him. As I had my arms around him, after I'd had a minute to digest the question, I exclaimed, "Yes Eric, I will marry you! I love you!"

He kissed me quickly and then pulled away. He pulled the ring out of the box, grabbed my left hand, and placed the ring on my finger. It was the biggest ring I ever thought I'd see in person. It was platinum, had rubies around the band and a huge princess cut diamond in he center. I'd only seen rings like it on TV. It was really too much, but over the past few days I've learned that an argument with Eric over a gift is an argument you are not going to win, so I just said, "Eric, It's beautiful." He then looked me straight into my eyes and said, "Not as beautiful as you, my lover."