Elissa sat on the couch reading. Monday morning she should have been ready for school by now, but somehow she didn't feel like facing the other Rangers at that moment. She watched as Evanthe came in and for the first time in the hundred years that they knew each other, was truly happy. Not scared of Girard and Sophie controlling her. Elissa looked up from her book then looked back down, fixing her housecoat as she shifted around.
"Come on, we've got to go to school."
"I'm not going." The annoyance rang deep in her throat, and her face never left her book.
"Why not? Werewolves don't get sick, so don't try that."
Elissa tried her best to keep her face in the book, and the tears in her eyes. "I am just not going." Evanthe could hear her friends tears forming, she went over and sat next to her.
"What's wrong?"
"You!"
"Huh?"
"You embarrassed me last night." She said as she put her book down. For some reason, she didn't want to be in the same room with her friend, much less the same house.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry." Her eyes went wide as she remembered what Billy and her had walked in on. Somehow, Evanthe couldn't help but to giggle. Elissa couldn't stand it anymore, got up and started to leave the room.
"Elissa...wait." Elissa stood near the doorway, her shoulders shaking as the tear rolled down her face. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to do it."
"You've been doing it since I met Adam., you and the others."
"We'll stop."
Elissa stopped and turns around. Her eyes full of tears and questions. "Will the others? I hear what they say about the two of us when they don't know I'm near."
"I'll talk to them."
"It won't change," she yelled and stormed out of the room.
"Hi, Billy!" Evanthe said as she walked up to Billy. She saw Adam heading the other way, looking upset.
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much. What's wrong with Adam?" She asked as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Something's bugging him, but he's not sure what."
"I think it's Elissa."
Billy looked a little worried at that statement. "What's wrong with Elissa? They have a fight or something?"
Evanthe shook her head as the tears started to flow. "No, we did, sort of."
"What's going on?" He led her to a bench. Never in the time that he knew the two girls had they had even one fight.
"She was kind of upset that we interrupted them yesterday, .and the others…well, we all tease them a lot about what they do."
"I was wondering why she looked ready to kill last night. Where is she?"
"Our place, last time I saw her."
"She's not coming to school I take it," he asked as Evanthe simply shook her head. "Man, I never knew we hurt her so much."
"We're going to stop, too."
"Let's go talk to the others," he suggested, holding a hand out to her. "They should really know what's going on," hand in hand they started down the road to school. The happy moment was spoiled, however, when Tengas appeared directly in front of them. "And I thought this day couldn't get any worse!!!"
"Looks like it did."
"Ninja Ranger Power!"
"the Bat!"
"Blue Wolf!"
Sophie appeared next to the Tengas, wishing deep down to be dead. "Hello."
"Get out of here, Sophie, you can't control me anymore!"
"Not yet, but he will soon. Trust me." She stared at the Tengas as they just stood there. "GET THEM YOU FOOLS!"
"Great," Billy muttered under his breath. "Their working with Zedd and Rita!"
"This is not what we needed!" Evanthe shouted at him as she fought off half of the Tengas.
Billy pulled his communicator up to his lips, hoping the others would hurry and be able to get there quickly. "Guys, we need help," he shouted as a Tenga knocked him unconscious.
"Billy!" She screamed as she ran towards her fallen boyfriend. So wrapped up in helping him, she didn't notice that a Tenga was heading towards her until he grabbed her. "Let me GO!" She struggled as another Tenga hit her over the head, sending her into a deep sleep.
"This was easier then I thought. Bring them!" Sophie watched as the Tengas brought them over to her, just as the Rangers teleported in, the small group started to teleport off.
"Tell me that wasn't that female vampire with the Tengas!" Tommy growled as he watched the group vanish.
"Okay, I won't Let's get to the CC and find out what's going on!"
Evanthe started to wake up, not liking her surroundings or the voice that greeted her.
"Hello my child."
She looked around, noticing Billy was not there, and snarled. "Where's Billy?"
"He's resting. He's fine, and will come to no harm from me or Girard." Sophie looked at her from where she was perched.
"What about Rita and Zedd?"
"They are leaving him alone." She smiled at her. Of all their children, she envied Evanthe the most. _Oh, how I wish I had what she had._
"Then why are we here? You can't control me anymore!"
"There is more then one way to control someone." _A way that I don't wish on anyone._ "Now, if you'll excuse me. It's time for me to eat, .and I think that Red Ranger will do nicely."
"Leave my friends alone!" She yelled, fighting against both the manacles around her wrists and the forcefield that surrounded both them and her.
"How can you stop me?
"If you touch them…when I get out of here, I will ram a stake so hard through you that it'll come through the other side!"
"Fine." She raised her hands up in defeat, wishing she would, turned and walked out the door. "I'll go find my meal elsewhere. Pity I can't drink from that boyfriend of yours, but we have big plans for him!"
"Let him go, Sophie…or I'll…"
"I have no control over what happens to him," she said as she left the room. Rito entered shortly after, hanging garlic on the door right before he left.
Evanthe cried to herself, falling to the ground as her mind went to
possible meanings to what Sophie told her. _What do they have in m…wait
no…no…not the Blood Lust again!_
Billy looked at the door, his tears flowed as he tried to break his chains. What sounded like a growl came from his voice as Girard entered the room.
"So, you are the one my Child loves? Pity" Girard's hands glided across Billy's shoulders.
Billy couldn't help but jerk away from him. His eyes were red with anger and fear. _What the heck is he trying to do?_ "What do you want?"
"Evanthe back, of course. ..and you're going to help bring her to the side of evil! So, what's it like being mortal and being involved with someone who's already died?" All Billy could do was spit at him. "Oh, before I forget, you're not going to like her so much next time you see her, but she'll enjoy you though. Yes, she will enjoy you so much." Billy glared at him, his chains were being drawn closer to the wall as Girard ripped open his shirt. The cold air hit Billy and his goosebumps shivered.
"I won't help you! I love Evanthe too much!" His face stung as Girard backhanded it.
"Time to teach you some manners!" He licked his lips as he
stared at Billy. _Pity I can't do this torture on Evanthe. Then again,
I can have the real fun with Sophie tonight._ His thoughts turned to lust
as he started…
Rangers stood unmorphed, waiting some kind of are sign that Billy and Evanthe were all right, except for Elissa as she stood turned away from the others.
"We've got to find them both." Adam said as he walked over to his mate. _Elissa?_
_What?_
_Why are you so upset at them?_
_Can we talk about this later?_
_Yeah, I guess we can._ "Looks like Sophie and Girard teamed up with Zedd and Rita. Talk about an unholy alliance."
Tommy noticed both Elissa's odd behavior towards them and the fact that she was still morphed, but decided that saying nothing was his best bet around her. "We better find her before she goes through the Blood Lust again."
Elissa stared at the console in front of her, almost glaring at it to tell her how to get them out. "And they have Billy!"
"You don't think they're going to…" Tommy's voice raised everyone's concerns.
"What do you think?" She turned and faced them for the first time that day, anger dripping from her voice. She knew that now was not the time to hold grudges, but it was something she couldn't forgive.
"Oh, man. She'll tear him apart if we don't get to them both!"
Elissa face and eyes glowed from the varying shades of anger that ran
through her body. Her anger at the Rangers, her anger at Zedd and Rita,
and mostly her anger towards Girard and Sophie. "Let's do it then."
None of the Rangers wanted to find out why she was so upset. Not even Adam.
"Oh, this will be truly enjoyable to watch!" Girard gloated. The week flew by for the four evil beings. Nothing could be more perfect. Rita was happy because she got to enjoy watching her favorite Ranger alone.
"How is our little Vampire prisoner doing?" Zedd asked as Sophie and Girard took their place in the throne room.
"I have never seen anyone as hungry for blood as she is!" Girard laughed as he brought his wife to his lap.
"She will kill her precious little boyfriend...then she will join us willingly. Once she knows what we can do."
Once she drinks him absolutely dry. . . .she'll have no CHOICE!!!!
"Time to prepare young Billy for his final date!" Girard laughed
as they headed towards Billy's cell.
Billy stared at the cell's door, his hand touching the slight beard he had grown over the past week. His thoughts full of worry on Evanthe. Wondering if she had been fed as well as he had been. Wondering what Rita and Zedd were up to? Why they had joined forces with Girard and Sophie? How he was going to get over his…torture… His thoughts were interrupted when Rita opened the door.
"Hello, Blue Ranger!" She had to admit, he was the best fed prisoner they had in the place. Then again, they didn't want him getting sick and spoiling his flavor.
"What do you want?"
Girard laughed at him. "Why we're going to let you go see Evanthe." He saw the fear in his eyes.
_I wonder if she's eaten at all since they brought us here._
"And she's...rather eager to see you too!" Rita cackled as Billy was dragged by his chains to see Evanthe.
"Before you go in, a little something to whet her appetite." Girard said as he nicked Billy's throat enough for blood to start flowing. He laughed as Billy grabbed his neck and pulled his hand away. He knew what he was in for. "Time to go see your girlfriend!" Billy was pushed into the cell while Evanthe's chains and the garlic disappeared. He knew what was about to happen.
"No..."
Evanthe looked up at him, her eyes were bright red, pale skin, and dark circles under her eyes. Billy felt the fear surging up through his body. "I'm hungry…so hungry…." She watched as Billy backed away. "You smell delicious. ..you smell. . like. . DINNER!" Evanthe quickly jumped on him and drank him dry, she saw him there just minuets away from death. Her eyes turned quickly to normal, looking down on her beloved. "NO! BILLY! Billy…oh, no…I did it again." She quickly looked for his almost non-existent heartbeat. "T…there's only one thing I can do to save you. I won't let you die, not and stay that way!" She nicked her wrist with her fangs to let her blood flow, and feeds it to him. He coughed and tried not to swallow. "Please, my love, drink deeply of me, as I did of you."
Billy opened his eyes and drank. He listened as she apologized. "For what?"
"You…you're like me now."
"You saved my life?"
"Sort of…y…you're undead."
"I'm like you?" His mind was still a jumble.
"I drained you dry. I hadn't fed in a week, it was the only way I could save you. If I even did that."
"I love you." His words reassured the uncertainty that had been in her voice.
"Even after THIS?!?!?!"
"You did this to save me. True love means risking yourself for
the one you love, and you did. I will always love you, even after this.
If you don't believe me just look at Adam and Elissa's relationship after
she turned him into a werewolf." Evanthe had to admit he was right,
and was about to tell him as she felt the familiar pull of the teleportation
beginning.
Evanthe looked around as the sensation ended. "Hey! We're out!" She ran over to her friend and noticed how Elissa looked like she hadn't slept much in the past week, but knew it was wise not to mention it just yet. "Thanks for getting us out of there." Evanthe looked her normal self now, but her skin was paler from the blood deprivation.
"Again?"
"It was worse this time…much worse." Evanthe looked over to where Billy laid.
"Billy? You ok?"
"I will be...after I sleep some...She drained me worse then last time...'
Elissa eyes were now WIDER then they had ever been. "You what?"
"I almost killed him. I sort of did." Evanthe whispered so only Elissa could hear her.
"He's...like you?"
"It was the only way I could save him. It was either that or let him die"
"Hey. You did what you thought was necessary and from how what I remember of that last Blood Lust, it was necessary." Adam tried to reassure her.
"It was worse. Oh, you don't want to know how much I was hurting."
"If you want to talk about it, let me know." Her voice sounded, as she also looked, about ready to collapse from all the work she'd been doing with Alpha trying to find them.
"You go get some rest."
"I am sorry for snapping at you the day..." She stopped herself from saying anymore as she hadn't said anything to Adam or the others about it.
"It's ok." She looked at Billy, a bit worriedly. "I'm going to have to take you out for dinner."
"Tomorrow...I just want to sleep" He said weakly, ready to lapse into a small coma.
"We can't go too long, though. I don't want you to go through what I did my first days as a vampire."
"Tomorrow night...I promise...I just can't keep my eyes…" Billy said as he slipped into a deep sleep.
"Teleport him home, please, Alpha. I'm going for a walk, I have some thinking to do."
"What?" Elissa wanted to do nothing but help her best friend.
"I just want to be alone right now, Elissa. I...I've never done this before, never made another one of my kind."
"Now you know how I felt." Evanthe nodded at Elissa as she teleported out to some lonely place.
_I'm going to bed._ Elissa told Adam mentally.
_I'll see you tomorrow?_
_I need time to think..._
_OK…I love you._
_Tomorrow night is open though._ She told him with a small giggle.
_Cool!_ Adam was now looking forward for the next night.
Sophie opened up the door and entered, her usual mocking smile on her lips. In her heart, though, she regretted what they had made Evanthe do. "Hello, my child," she said, then took in the empty room. "What?"
Girard stepped up behind her. "What is it?" he growled. Sophie almost cowered away from him, sensing the displeasure that he would soon have.
"She's gone," she said finally. "They both are."
Her husband growled and closed his eyes, reaching his senses out to Evanthe. He got a nasty surprise as he did. "And she's. . .no!" he hissed the word. "This is impossible!"
"No!" Sophie joined in his sensing of their 'daughter's' thoughts, and barely managed to keep a smile from her face. She is free. Fully free, at last.
"What's going on?" Rita and Zedd joined them, staring into the empty room.
"Something that can't be fixed!" Sophie slipped into her usual way of speaking and acting, it was so much easier than trying to fight Girard.
Zedd glared at them. "What are you talking about?"
"She turned him into a vampire!" Sophie almost screamed the words. Rita screamed right back at her.
"She did what?"
Girard stepped closer to the cone-festooned witch and bellowed, "She turned him into a vampire!"
"Our hold is lost!" Sophie wailed in outrage. At last!
Zedd hissed, "Why? What haven't you told us?"
Sophie glared with cold eyes at him. "Something you never asked us!" Girard nodded his agreement. They weren't obligated to tell them anything!
"You never asked what happens if a vampire makes another vampire!" he snapped. He was getting somewhat tired of Rita and Zedd, nothing they did ever seemed to come out right!
"What does happen?" Rita wanted to know. Sophie explained how when a vampire made another vampire, the control that their own maker had over them vanished. Girard listened carefully, then suddenly spoke.
"Wait. Sophie, we may have a chance yet."
"How?" she managed to conceal the distaste she had for him rather nicely.
Girard smiled wickedly. "Did you ever tell her that making another would break the control we had over her?"
"No."
"Neither did I," he chuckled. "She doesn't know."
Sophie forced a smile out of herself. "This could work!"
Zedd nodded suddenly, intruding himself into the conversation. "I have an idea," he told them quickly of a spell he had planned to use on both Evanthe and Elissa, and the requirement that they come willingly for it. Sophie closed her eyes in thought.
"What to use for bait?" she half-whispered. _And can I warn her? Would she even believe me if I did?_
Rita gazed first at the other minions of evil, then out at the Earth.
"I don't know yet," she said coldly. "But something will
present itself." It always does.
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