Sophia's POV

Knox, oh baby, please be okay...I can't live without you. I need you...

Tears clouded my eyes as I quickly surveyed the damage to make sure none of his wounds were fatal, but found no pulse. Anger consumed me, my blood was boiling to the point of eruption. Gaea fully possessed me and for once I had no objections. They wanted a war well now they have one. With a gentle kiss to my mate I rose.

"Some King he is, can't even protect his mate. Pathetic. All of you are pathetic and it will be a pleasure killing you all. It is time to end this. Follow Council members it is time."

With a smirk on my lips I watched as Maximus looked around trying to locate the others. His eyes scanned the people that formed a circle around us. Warriors and guards stood strong, united, and ready to take on the head of the Council. I was honored to stand with them. This was my pack...strong, united and loyal till the end.

Chuckling I held my focus on Maximus. "Ah, yes it seems the other members of the Council have run into some trouble. They are currently indisposed at this time. So sorry."

"Liar! We are the GRAND COUNCIL! No one has the ability to defeat us, no one! We made sure of that years..."

His speech halted as a purple cage holding the other Council members appeared before him. James laid dead on the floor with a crying Helen on his chest. Alice was tending to a dying Edgar, unsuccessfully I might add.

"As you were saying Maximus? You made sure that what? Anyone that was a threat was eliminated immediately? Species were wiped out completely because united they could be stronger than you? Centuries ago the Council was created to protect our kind from exposure and ensure our safety and longevity. Instead you ruled with fear, killing any who crossed your path and many for just the sole purpose because you could."

Vlad's POV

My head hurt like a bitch as a tried to focus on anything. When the world settled and my vision returned the sight before me was one I thought I would never see.

Four of the Council members were locked inside a purple cage. James appeared to be dead and Edgar wasn't moving much either. Helen was crying hysterically over the body of her mate and Alice was rocking back and forth holding on to her knees. Mentally she didn't seem there. Holy shit! I knew Sophia was a bad ass but hell I never expected this. Fuck how long was I knocked out?

I could feel her anger as she paced ranting at Maximus on what a poor excuse of a leader he and the other Council members were. Her skin and hair began to glow purple as her rage grew, her voice elevating until she was screaming at him. Maximus was motionless as he stared at his fallen members. When he finally refocused on Sophia he gasped at the sight before him.

"...never again will our people suffer at the hands of such a corrupt and selfish imbecile! Today centuries of persecution end. You all will end!"

Gaea was absolutely amazing to watch. Maximus stood terrified as he finally realized who he was up against. He keep repeating not possible. Yeah that was pretty much the reaction that everyone had when they found out that they were face to face with the mother of all, Gaea.

"What's not possible Maximus? Hmm. Is it that you have finally figured out who I am?"

"It's not p-possible. We made sure that you all were..."

"Killed. Is that the word you need? Killed. Yes instead of killing me my grandmother just stripped me of my powers that would only return when I found my true mate. Giving me time to grow and mature, since most of my kind are eliminated before the age of 8. The moment she held me she knew what power I possessed and gave me the best chance I had. But that didn't stop you from always keeping watch over me did it? Whose idea was it to put Brian in my life?"

"Mine and James." he whispered.

"Can I ask why? I was just a human, with no knowledge of this world. Why connect me to it, wouldn't it have been better to just watch me from a distance. Maybe I fall in love and get married to another human, keeping me from Knox?"

"He was the best man for the job of keeping you close to us. Plus since he tracked you for years he became addicted to you. He knew of your origin and tried for years to pull any magic hidden inside of you. It became his obsession. He craved the power of your bloodline to the point of insanity. The tipping point was when he found his true mate. That was when we started keeping him away from you more. His mate is a very sweet girl and she balanced him, but his fascination with you never lessened, it just grew. He had others watch you as well, even after the divorce."

A purple bolt struck Maximus's chest and knocked him on his ass. The powerful vampire was rendered powerless as the bolt wrapped around him, tightening his arms to his body. He couldn't move. For the first time in his long existence, he was defenseless. Gaea stalked him like a predator to a prey, watching as he struggled against his binds.

"And you did nothing! For years and innocent women and child suffered at the hands of that madman and you did nothing! We were human for fucks sake. And you allowed him to terrorize us, for what? Did you get joy out of knowing that we suffered? Are you that much of a sadistic bastard? Answer me!"

Cautiously I made my way to where the vampire laid immobilized. Gaea glared down at him waiting for his answer.

"This was why. We couldn't allow you to come to power. We needed to control you after we lost control of your grandmother. For the time being, he controlled you by fear. We didn't go into the specifics of what he was doing. Please..."

"Oh how ironic that you now lay here begging me. For what? Your life? Yeah so not happening. You and the others know too much to be allowed to live any longer. You have destroyed too many lives. I won't enjoy killing you...well okay to be honest I might enjoy it just a tiny bit. My only regret here today will be the fact that I didn't have the pleasure of ending Brian's life as well. From here on out, our kind will not live in fear. Only evil will be hunted, not the good."

Reaching out I grabbed Gaea's hand before she could finish him off. I knew she was reaching the end of her preverbal rope. At least I knew Sophia was.

"My Queen, it would be my honor if you allow me to finish what you started. We are all in your debt, but please attend to your mate. Also I am feeling a bit hungry and Council members would make a great entrée. I got this Gaea...go he needs you now."

After a few minutes of contemplating her next move, she gave me a quick nod slowly releasing her anger. Gaea glanced one more time at Maximus and then turned and walked away. The purple cage disappeared as she knelt down next to Knox.

With a quick mind-link three of my guards finished off Alice, Helen and Edgar. Crouching down behind him I forced him to watch. Maximus had no choice but to witness the deaths of his fallen Council members. One by one their lifeblood was drained from their bodies.

Without wiping the blood from their mouths my men stood and faced us. Showing the defeated vampire that his reign was finally over. He was over. Hearing the sobbing coming from Sophia, I decided to finish this quickly. I would have loved to drag this out but my family needed me. Cranking his neck to the side, I whispered Have fun in hell before I bit down and drained him until he laid dead before me.

As his body collapsed to the ground I wiped my mouth of any evidence of the life I just took.

Screams brought my attention back from my blood lust.

"Raine, HELP, I need help. Someone please. Knox, don't you die on me...you hear me..."