Adam slowly slipped his books into the locker one by one. Ever since the disastrous confrontation with his parents that morning, Elissa had been on the verge of collapse. She and Gwen were at home now, and he'd already talked with Mr. Caplan about starting a program of home study for her.
"How is everything, Adam?" he looked up to see Evanthe next to him. She's quiet, he thought. Then again, vampires are.
"Fine," was what he said out loud though. Evanthe peered closer at him, and shook her head.
"No, it isn't. Something's wrong. Talk to me, Adam!" she, Adam, Elissa, and Billy had the tightest bonds among the Rangers, being creatures of the night. Their friendships with the other Rangers were just as strong, but there were some things that only your own kind could understand.
He shook his head. "Just my parents. Sorry, former parents!"
"What did they do?" Evanthe's eyes flashed with concern. As Adam told her what had happened, it took all her self-control to stop herself from paying an extremely vampiric visit to his parents: his mother in particular.
"Elissa is at home with Gwen," Adam sighed. "Evanthe, Elissa was ready to leave!"
"I'll go talk to her," Evanthe almost turned around right then. She missed her friend, at any rate. It had been a while since they'd had a lot of uninterrupted time together.
Adam shook his head. "Give her time. When I left, she had just fallen asleep."
"All right," Evanthe sighed. "I'll go over this afternoon."
As they started towards their first class, Adam couldn't help but mutter, "School's just not going to be the same without her here."
"I know," Evanthe sighed, then glanced up as Billy and the other Rangers joined them in the classroom. They had a few minutes to talk, and used them.
"Let me guess, things didn't go too well?" Billy asked.
Adam shook his head. "Not well at all."
"Where's Elissa?" Tommy wanted to know.
"Our place," Adam told him. "And I don't think she's going to be leaving any time soon."
Oh, we'll see about that! The White Ranger suppressed a grin. There was no way he was going to let this state of affairs continue. "She's back to homestudy again?" Adam nodded.
"I'm going to go talk to her this afternoon," Evanthe said. She could hardly wait to see her friend.
"Want us to come along?" Kim asked, glancing at Aisha. "Maybe try and cheer her up?"
Evanthe nodded. "That might be a good idea."
"We'll meet you there. I've got an idea, but I need to work something out first," Kim promised. She glanced at her watch, and got up. "I've got to make a phone call." she ran off quickly, and Tommy just shook his head.
"I don't even want to know!"
Rocky shrugged. "Me neither!"
Evanthe's thoughts were still on what Adam had told her about what his mother had said. "I really can't understand their attitude about you," she mused. "About me, and Billy, that I can. A lot of people feel that way about our kind."
"At least my brother is being cool about it," Adam admitted. Evanthe nodded, thinking over things for a few. She smiled a trifle.
"In six hundred years, I have met only two people who offered to let me drink from them if I had to," she remembered. One was Billy. One was Ian. I hope history doesn't repeat itself. I really do!!!
Adam sighed. "I wish they'd understand."
"Maybe someday they will," Evanthe murmured. She'd seen a lot of people change their attitudes over the years.
Adam looked at her. "You think?" sarcasm tainted his words as he turned to the front of the class. Evanthe sighed deeply.
"Not really," she muttered to herself.
Sophie and Girard smiled as they welcomed two old friends to the palace. "Diana!" Sophie greeted Diana and Christopher as warmly as her icy heart was capable.
"Sophie, Girard!" Diana and her husband Christopher bowed low to their vampiric makers. "We came as soon as we heard from you!"
Sophie smiled. "When we found Evanthe, we had to contact you; we knew that you've been searching as well."
Christopher nodded. "Yes, how has she been these past six hundred years?"
"A great disappointment," Girard growled. He'd never forgiven Evanthe for turning against them, and had some very exotic punishments in mind for her the next time she was in their clutches.
Sophie nodded briefly. "Till recently," she amended. Evanthe's reaction the day before to her taunt had been very satisfying. "And we shall have that child again!"
"What child?" Christopher wondered.
"That of two wolves," Girard told them. "Werewolves, that is."
Diana frowned. "I didn't know werewolves could have offspring!"
"They can't," Sophie told her. "That's why I want that child!"
"What werewolves had it?"
Sophie smiled cruelly. "Friends of your daughter. Adam and Elissa Park."
Diana Foster's eyes flashed with outrage. "Our daughter is hanging around with werewolves?"
"That is why it is imperative that we stop her from being with them!" Sophie declared. Christopher nodded.
"Does she know that we're still around" he wondered. Girard shook his head.
"She never let us tell her that you were!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Diana was very disappointed. "What has she become while we were away?"
Sophie growled in anger, concealing the compassion she still felt for Evanthe deep within her heart. "She's gone soft!"
"Soft?" Christopher repeated the word in shock.
"And good!" Girard continued. Evanthe's biological, and now vampiric, parents, exchanged glances, then looked at their makers.
"She's a vampire!" Diana growled. "They're not supposed to be good!" she repeated what they'd told her so many times over the centuries.
Sophie shrugged. "Tell that to her. Come, we must plan. There is also much we have to tell you!"
"You should have called us sooner!" Christopher insisted. He was very disappointed in his daughter!
"It's obvious that she needs us!" Diana insisted. Sophie smiled. She knew they'd called the right people for the job this time around.
With Gwen in arms, Elissa sat on the front porch of the apartment building, deep in thought. Her tutor had just left, and she was alone, except for the girl in her arms. "Hey, Elissa!" she glanced up to see Evanthe there.
"Hi," was all she said, not even cracking a smile for her best friend.
Evanthe got right to the point. "I heard about what Adam's parents said and did."
Elissa shrugged. "That can't be helped."
"I know," Evanthe nodded. That didn't mean she couldn't try and comfort her, though.
"I wish Adam hadn't come after me," Elissa said after a few moments.
"Why not?" Evanthe wanted to know. Elissa sighed.
"Then he'd still be on good terms with his family."
Evanthe shook her head. "He made his choice and he chose you. I don't think he wants to stay with his family if he can't have you too."
Elissa was stubborn, though, and convinced she was to blame for the whole situation. "I ruined his life!"
"I don't believe that, and neither does he!" Evanthe retorted.
"It's the truth!" Elissa insisted, eyes widening a trifle as she scented Kim and Aisha coming up from around the corner. Evanthe shook her head harshly.
"No, it isn't!"
"Isn't it? If he hadn't met me, he would still be human!" Elissa wasn't going to budge on this one.
Kim wasn't going to believe it, though. "But he bored out of his mind and probably be moping around about how he can't find a girlfriend!"
Aisha nodded. "He's been happier since he met you than he ever has been before!"
"But he had his family," Elissa protested weakly. Evanthe smiled as she laid a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"But he didn't have you."
"And I think you are what he really needs, and I know you're who he wants!" Aisha had known Adam all his life, and she knew there had never been a light in his eyes like there was when he was near Elissa. She was the one for him, the only one.
Elissa cracked a small smile. "This is all too confusing."
"Love tends to be like that!" Evanthe pointed out. Aisha agreed.
"That's what makes it so wonderful!"
The four of them laughed and joked for a little while longer, until a sudden sharp call from behind them broke up the fun. "Evanthe?"
The vampire turned, and the look on her face was one of complete and utter shock, shock that ran so deep no one could find the words for it. Elissa looked at her friend. "Evanthe?" she glanced at the woman who stood behind them, almost an exact duplicate of Evanthe, except somewhat older. "What is it?"
The woman walked over to them, smiling. Evanthe whispered a single word. "M. . .mother. . .?"
"It's me," Diana held her arms out lovingly. "Come to me, Evanthe."
"Mother!" Evanthe's eyes filled with tears of joy. "How can you be alive after six hundred years?"
"What does it matter?" Diana asked. "I'm here now!"
Evanthe's heart pounded faster and faster as she ran to her mother, enfolded in her arms for the first time in so very long. "Mother," she whispered over and over. "Mother."
Diana smiled and looked into her eyes. "Your father is here too. Do you want to see him?"
Evanthe nodded, completely happy for the first time since awakening as a vampire. There was something she had to say, though. "Mother, the last. . .the last time I saw you. The fight. . .I'm sorry. . .I'm so sorry!"
"Forgotten, forgiven," Diana told her gently. Evanthe didn't notice the smile on her mother's face did not touch her eyes. "But I do want to hear about this Billy fellow!"
"He's the best!" Evanthe gushed. "I love him so much!"
Aisha leaned over to Elissa. "I thought Evanthe's mother was, dead, her father too! She told us that Girard tore their throats out!"
"She is," Elissa whispered in shock. "They are!"
Diana glanced over at the others seated on the porch. "Your father wants to see you," she told Evanthe.
"And I want to see him," Evanthe sighed happily. "Where is he?"
"Where we are staying," Diana smiled. "Would you like to see him right now?"
Evanthe nodded eagerly, all of her dreams and wishing for the past six hundred years had finally come true. "I can't wait!"
"Hold my hand!" Diana held her hand out to Evanthe, who took it eagerly. She glanced over at her friends.
"I'll come back soon and introduce you guys properly to my parents!" it didn't really occur to her to wonder just how her parents had survived so long, or why they hadn't contacted her sooner. "Let Billy know!"
Elissa nodded, as Diana gave a truly evil smile as she and Evanthe vanished. Elissa's eyes widened in pure shock, for it was a style of teleportation every Ranger knew all too well: that used by the forces of evil.
"That might be her mother, but I don't think she has Evanthe's best interests at heart!" Aisha was on her feet a moment later, but Elissa was already moving.
"Guys!" she screamed into her communicator. "Get to the Command Center, now!"
No one bothered Elissa's best friend.
As they appeared in the lunar palace, Diana's grip tightened imperceptibly on her daughter's hand. "Welcome home, daughter!" she declared. Evanthe looked around in shock.
"This isn't home!" what are we doing here??
Diana smiled at her, and this time Evanthe saw the fangs. "This is ours! And we are like you, my darling daughter!"
Evanthe stared, almost shaking. "Who. . .made you into vampires?" No. . not this. Not THEM!
"The same ones who made you!" Diana hissed. "And you are not making us proud!"
Evanthe backed away as much as she could. "Mother, they're evil!"
Diana shrugged. "As are we. And as you and your friend Billy should be! In fact, he should be here right about now!" just as she spoke, her husband appeared with Billy struggling in his grip. Evanthe twisted from her mother and ran over towards her boyfriend, her heart, so happy only moments before, breaking.
"Billy, are you all right?"
He nodded. "Yeah, what about you?" he asked as he broke from Christopher's clutches and wrapped up Evanthe in his arms. "Are you okay?"
"Except for the fact my parents, whom I've mourned and missed most of my life are evil vampires now, I'm just fine!" she was having serious trouble hanging on to her mental stability right now.
Billy's eyes widened. "He was telling the truth then?" I didn't want to think someone like that could be related to her!
"They are my parents," Evanthe admitted, looking teary-eyed at Diana and Christopher. "And I'm not sure anymore if I want them to be anymore!"
"I guess you know how Adam feels," Billy asked, brushing the tears off her cheeks gently. Evanthe nodded slowly.
Diana walked over to them, pulling Evanthe away a little. "Also, how dare you! I have heard you are associating with werewolves!" in her voice there dripped nothing but hatred and venom. Evanthe turned way from her. "Don't you turn your back on me, young lady!" Diana snapped angrily!
"As far as I'm concerned, I don't have any parents anymore!" Evanthe's tears flowed hotly. I love them, I'll always love them, but not I don't want to be with them like this!
"Just because we don't approve of your taste in friends, doesn't mean we don't love you!" Diana declared. She did love her daughter, but she was going to be evil! It was a family thing now!
Evanthe spoke quietly. "I can't love people who believe like Sophie and Girard do."
"Then you are just as bad as they are!"
Evanthe turned to them. "I have done everything could all my life to avoid being like them!"
Her father sighed. "You have been stubborn all your life, that certainly hasn't changed!"
"Why shouldn't I be stubborn about this?" Evanthe grated. "I will not be evil!"
Diana and Chris grabbed them both by the arms and dragged them swiftly to the dungeons. "Then you will stay here!" Diana declared, locking them up. "Until you wise up! By the way, your communicators won't work here!"
Evanthe quickly tested that, and sighed as she realized they weren't lying about this. "Billy," she whispered. "I think we are in deep trouble. We're going to need to feed."
Billy nodded. "I know."
"We have to get out of here," she leaned against him for a moment, hardly noticing as he started to work on his communicator. Evanthe looked up at her parents just outside the cell. "All these years, all these centuries I missed you, and you never even told me you were. . .around." Then again, if they knew what I'd been up to with Vlad. ..I don't think I WANTED them around for that!
Diana glared at her. "You kept moving! Every time we found you, you had already left, how could we tell you?"
"I kept moving because of Girard and Sophie," Evanthe hissed. "Trying to avoid them. Because they kept trying to make me like them!"
Her father shrugged. "We must go. For now. To feed," he chuckled. "Your friends will never be able to make up with his parents!"
Evanthe stood up a little straighter. "Adam's family! Don't you dare touch them!"
"We just might leave the boy. . .for later toying!" Diana laughed as they teleported out, enjoying the gifts of power Sophie and Girard had given them. They were to deal with Evanthe and Billy, while their makers took care of personal business they hadn't told them of.
"Billy!" Evanthe paced briefly. "We've got to get out of here, for more than just our feeding! We can't let them harm Adam's family!"
Billy nodded. "I'm trying!" a few moments later, he stood up. "Got it! Take mine, and give me yours," as she did so, he told her, "I've managed to fix it so you can teleport out of here. Get out and save Adam's family! I'll be along shortly."
Evanthe nodded as she kissed him gently. "I love you, Billy," she whispered, then teleported out. Billy fiddled with her communicator for a few moments, then called the others.
"Guys! Adam's parents are in serious danger, get there now!" he was already on his way even as he spoke the words. His friend needed him, as did his love.
Mrs. Park sat on the porch, paging quietly through a photo album. Why couldn't things stay like they were then? Why did they have to grow up. Now Ian's mad at us, Adam is a werewolf, a Power Ranger, and isn't speaking to us, we're grandparents. . .
"Hello. . .lunch!" she looked up at the harsh voice to see someone who looked like an older version of Evanthe standing in front of her, with a man beside her. Mrs. Park's eyes widened to see vampiric fangs on them both and she shrieked in terror.
"A full meal, wouldn't you say, my dearest?" Christopher grinned as Mr. Park came out to see what had startled his wife into screaming.
"Oh, yes!" Diana laughed as she jumped towards Mrs. Park, her husband duplicating the move to Mr. Park. They were about to feed, when Evanthe appeared behind them and pulled her mother off Mrs. Park.
"Sorry, mom, lunch is canceled!" the pain was evident in her voice even as she protected the innocent humans. They were all lucky no one was around right at that moment, but Evanthe didn't care about keeping the Rangers' secret right at the moment. She hardly noticed Billy appearing behind her and pulling Christopher away from Mr. Park.
"What the heck is going on around here?" Adam asked as he appeared with Elissa and the other Rangers.
Evanthe grabbed both of her parents with all her strength and glared into their eyes. "I told you to stay away from them!"
Diana slapped her daughter into dropping them both. "You are a fool, child!" she growled. Evanthe's tears blinded her for a few moments.
"Mother, Father, leave these people alone! They have done nothing to deserve being fed on by you or anyone!"
Diana growled, "So be it! For now, but be forewarned: you have disobeyed your parents for the last time! You will pay!" she turned to Adam and Elissa. "And so will you!" it was that female werewolf's fault Evanthe had turned so soft!
"You won't hurt them," Evanthe growled. "Even if it takes my life, and my afterlife to stop you!"
"We shall see!" her father said as he and Diana vanished. The moment they were gone, Evanthe slumped to the ground, crying. Mrs. Park glared at them all, then stormed into her house followed by her husband. The sound of slamming doors was audible to them all.
"Great!" Aisha groaned. "The last thing we needed. Two more evil vampires!"
Ian came to the door and looked from Adam to where his parents had vanished into their room. "I wish you guys would make up!"
"We've got to do something!" Tommy sighed as Elissa turned to Adam, then ran off as fast as she could. She couldn't stand the pain that was between him and his family. Adam sighed.
"Tommy, there isn't much that can be done!"
"There has to be something."
Adam shrugged. "If you figure something out, let me know!"
The White Ranger sighed, then turned to where Evanthe was still sobbing, in more emotional torment than any of them had ever went through. "Those were really Evanthe's parents?"
Billy nodded as he pulled Evanthe closer to him. "I think I'd better get her home." they were gone a few moments later. Adam stood staring at his old home as if it were the only thing in all the world.
"Adam?" Aisha came over to him, trying to get his attention. He shook his head.
Elissa, we need to talk!
No!
Please, Elissa!
Leave me!
Elissa, I love you, and I won't leave you!
It's too late! Elissa's voice held pure tears of grief and sorrow and rage.
Where are you?
Somewhere you can't find me. I'm sorry, Adam.
Elissa! Adam couldn't believe what was going on. This couldn't be happening, could it? Please, no!
Gwen is safe, Adam. I love you.
"I need you, Elissa!" Adam shrieked, out loud and in his mind as well. Tommy glanced over to his friend, frowning. "Elissa, no!"
"Adam?" Tommy asked softly. "Adam, please talk to me!" when all Adam would do was weep for Elissa, the White Ranger looked to the others. "Let's get him home. And find Elissa."
It didn't take them long to get him to the apartment, and as they looked around, Tommy frowned. "She's gone. So is one of her suitcases, and so is Gwen."
"Gwen's safe," Adam whispered. Rocky knelt in front of his friend.
"What did Elissa tell you?"
With broken words, Adam told them the few things she'd said. The Rangers exchanged glances. They had never had to deal with this sort of thing before. Aisha took a deep breath.
"We'll find her, and sort this all out. That is a promise, Adam," Aisha was determined. They would fix all of this. No matter what it took.
The Power Rangers would set things right.