It was an incredibly gorgeous day in Angel Grove, and for the Power Rangers and their newest friends, an unbelievably happy one. The female Rangers, Evanthe's mother, and Liana gathered at Evanthe's house to throw her a bridal shower, while at the same time a bachelor party was being held for Billy.
Elissa brought out the tray of drinks and sat down next to Evanthe. She had never thought she'd be so grateful to Vincent, but because of him, she had her bond back, and Evanthe was still free of him.
"This is wonderful," Evanthe smiled as she leaned against the sofa, imagining it was Billy's arms around her. Liana nodded softly.
"Thank you for inviting me," she said. It was so very strange to just be hanging around with these people, but they had welcomed her and Vincent both once he'd stopped chasing after Evanthe like a madman. The diamond on her own finger sparkled, mute testimony to the love she finally was able to express.
"How are things with you and Vincent?" Evanthe wondered. Liana glowed almost as much as she herself did these days.
"Our wedding plans are going slowly, very slowly!" Liana had never thought she'd utter that sentence!
Evanthe raised an eyebrow. "Why so slowly?"
"The Vampire Council isn't very happy with his handling of the whole situation with you and him and Billy. He had to answer some questions, and well. . .let's just say that three of the Council members disappeared!"
"Gee, I wonder where they went!" Evanthe giggled, as did everyone else. There were some things about Vincent that would never change.
Elissa smiled, then frowned briefly and walked down the hall to where Gwen had been put down to rest. Kim looked after her. "It's good to see her and Adam so happy again!"
"That it is," Evanthe nodded. Elissa came back down the hall and smiled.
"She's asleep, I was hearing things," she reported. She started to sit back down, when suddenly Gwen's cries echoed in the house. Elissa sighed, smiled, and went back down to take care of her child.
Evanthe leaned over to Liana, who knew what Vincent's wedding gift to her was, and whispered, "They're all going to be surprised soon!" Evanthe had sworn both Liana and Vincent to secrecy on the gift, and intended to let Billy know only after the honeymoon itself. She looked up as Elissa returned with Gwen, and smiled. "She's so beautiful!"
Elissa nodded. "That she is!"
"You are the luckiest werewolf alive!" Evanthe declared. "You and Adam go very well together!"
Liana agreed with them. "Almost like you were destined to be together!"
"Like Billy and me," Evanthe concurred, smiling. "Or you and Vincent," she looked up at Liana, who smiled a little. Things were at last turning their way. * * *
Over at Billy's newly bought house, a combination housewarming and bachelor party was going on. Adam sighed happily as he took a long drink. Tommy grinned from next to him.
"This is one heck of a party!" he declared. Billy laughed.
"That it is!"
Vincent looked over and nodded. "I'm very happy for you, Billy!" the vampire king declared. He'd given his full permission and blessing to Billy's marriage to Evanthe, which by vampiric law he would have to perform. Luckily, his 'day job' was that of a justice of the peace.
"This is weird!" Billy shook his head a little. Just two days earlier, Vincent had been trying to kill him, and now they were friends! Vincent nodded.
The vampire king chuckled a little. "I imagine it is. Billy, I wish you and Evanthe the greatest of happiness, and I am very sorry for everything I did." he poured out two glasses of blood and handed one to Billy. "A toast!"
"To Billy and Evanthe!" Adam declared, raising his own glass. "Together, forever!"
Billy smiled as they all drank, and Vincent looked at him. "My only regret is that my foolishness delayed your happiness as long as it did."
"It's okay," Billy grinned. "Some things are worth waiting for!"
"And Evanthe certainly is!"
Tommy cleared his throat a little. "You guys going to talk about the past, or are you going to bring yourselves into the present?"
"The present," Vincent smiled. "And the future. Isn't that what a bachelor party is all about?"
And the party got into full swing after that. * * *
It was finally the day of the wedding, and everything was ready. Elissa sat on her porch waiting for Vincent to pick her up, humming softly to Gwen as she did so.
"Elissa!" she jumped up when she heard Michael's voice, and growled savagely. He smiled. "That's no way to speak to an old friend!"
"You're not my friend!" Elissa snapped. "And never will be!"
Michael laughed as he stepped towards her. "Oh, really?"
"What do you want?" Elissa snorted. "I have a date!"
The werewolf king smiled, a dark and evil sight. "I want you to bond with me, or else!" he declared, speaking what he'd longed to for a century.
"Or else what?"
Michael loved the look in her eyes as he spoke his next words. "I kill Gwen!" what she said to him in return was even sweeter than her look, and much less repeatable. "Take your choice. You bond with me, or she dies, slowly!"
"Hello, Michael!" the werewolf king turned to see Vincent walking up.
"What do you want?" he growled. What would the king of the vampires be doing here, at a werewolf's house? His jaw dropped when Vincent walked over to Elissa and put an arm around her.
"Picking up my girl!" he declared.
From his expression, Michael could very well have been hit in the back of the head with a brick. "You, of all vampires, have always hated our kind!"
"Then I met her!" Vincent sighed happily, and gave Elissa a kiss on the cheek. "She's changed my life!"
Michael stared in complete shock, not believing his eyes. Elissa laughed a little as she returned the kiss. "I told you I had a date!" she told Michael, then turned to Vincent. "Let me go get my purse, and Gwen's diaper bag."
As she walked inside, Vincent glared at the opposing king. "I suggest you leave her, Adam, Gwen, and all their friends alone!"
"And if I don't?"
Vincent smiled as he pulled out a silver dagger. "I come after you. And so does an army of angry vampires!" with Evanthe in the lead, no doubt!
Michael stepped back, even being as old as he was, he feared silver. "I have no time for this!" he declared. "I will return another time!"
He vanished, just as Elissa was coming out of the house again. The werewolf grinned at him, she now held her gown in hand, and had her hair already done up. "You are something!"
"I do what I can," Vincent grinned. "Are you ready for the wedding?"
"Yup!" Elissa nodded. "And thanks for having Liana keep an eye on Gwen during the ceremony."
"No problem," Vincent smiled. "It's our pleasure." * * *
Adam struggled with his tie and smiled at Billy. "I'm so nervous, you'd think it was me getting married!"
"I'm so nervous it's not even funny!" Billy shook a little as he helped Adam with his preparations for being best man.
"I wonder how Evanthe is doing?" Adam wondered. He'd never seen the vampire so much as nervous before. Angry, scared, in love, yes. Nervous, never.
"As calm as an iceberg, like always!" Billy grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen her nervous!"
Adam grinned as Billy finished with his tie. "I hope you guys enjoy the ranch."
"I'm sure we will," Billy nodded. "I've got to thank Elissa again for letting us use it."
Adam laughed. "When you two get back, we're heading up for it!"
"I hope you two have as much fun as we will!" Billy declared. His eyes clouded suddenly, and he sighed, prompting Adam to ask what was wrong. "I was just thinking. Wishing, really, that we didn't have to adopt a child to have one."
"I know," Adam nodded. "Elissa and I were talking about it, but look what happened with us. Miracles do happen, you know."
Billy shook his head. "Vampires are undead, we can't have children."
"Neither can werewolves," Adam laughed softly, and Billy couldn't help but smile.
"We'll have to wait and see, but we have an appointment at the adoption agency next week."
Adam nodded. "At least you considered adoption! "
"Evanthe wants one so badly, I couldn't deny her that," Billy smiled, remembering the look in her eyes when she'd told him vampires couldn't have children.
"Can't blame you," Adam nodded as Billy took a deep and lasting breath.
"It's just about time. Let's do it." * * *
Across the way, in the women's dressing room, Elissa zipped up Evanthe's wedding dress, then slipped her own on. There was a faint frown between her eyebrows as she did so, a sure sign something was on her mind. "What's wrong, Elissa?"
"Huh?" Elissa looked over at Evanthe, broken from her thoughts.
"There's something on your mind, what is it?"
Elissa frowned again. "Guess who stopped by the house today?"
"From the tone in your voice, Michael," Evanthe had only ever heard that level of disgust leveled at Michael.
Elissa nodded. "Evanthe, we wants me to bond with him!"
"That's sick! And that's why he wanted your bond with Adam broken, I bet!"
"He threatened Gwen!" Elissa remembered, and almost smiled to hear Evanthe growling harshly.
"He touches her, he gets a silver sandwich!"
Elissa couldn't help but laugh as she remembered the look on Michael's face when Vincent called her 'his girl'. "That's what Vincent said!"
"He sure has changed from when we first met!" Evanthe declared. She truly respected Vincent now, as well as liked him.
Elissa's eyes narrowed. "And Michael hasn't since I met him."
"If he threatens, heck, if he looks at Gwen, that'll be the last thing he does!"
Her friend shook her head. "Enough about him, how are you doing?"
"I am so nervous, I can't believe it!" Evanthe was actually shaking.
"Now you know how I felt!"
Evanthe chuckled softly. "I'm never nervous. I've never been nervous until now!" once you've died and come back, nerves aren't exactly your highest priority.
"You have a right to be!"
Evanthe smiled and closed her eyes, thinking of Billy. "I'm getting married!"
"Finally!"
"Yes. And I'd wait forever if it meant I'd marry Billy at the end of the waiting!" Evanthe smiled, thinking of what she was going to be able to tell Billy the next morning.
Elissa nodded, recognizing the way Evanthe smiled when she had a secret. "Oh, yes!" she remembered. "one thing you have to see at the ranch. There's a private little pond, it's very romantic! The caretaker, Jacob, will show you how to get there on horseback."
Evanthe smiled and chuckled. "Sounds good to me! I'm already feeling rather romantic!"
"Well, look at you!" Elissa grinned. "You look gorgeous!" indeed, Evanthe was stunning in her pure white wedding gown. It was a safe bet Billy's eyes would fall right out of his head when he saw her.
"Not as lovely as you! At least you can tan!" Elissa laughed at her friend's comment, then Evanthe smiled tenderly. "I'm going to have one big surprise for Billy tomorrow!"
"Really?" Elissa smiled. "Something you want to share?"
Evanthe bit her lip for a moment, then smiled. She had never been able to keep a secret from Elissa. "Can you keep this a secret until we get back from our honeymoon?"
"You know I can!" Elissa grinned.
Evanthe took a deep breath, and smiled at her. "Billy and I are going to have a child of our very own," she whispered. Elissa raised an eyebrow in query, and Evanthe explained what Vincent had done for them. Elissa caught her up in a warm hug.
"I am so happy for you!"
"Not nearly as happy as I am. Please don't tell Billy, I want him to be surprised when I tell him!"
Elissa promised, "My lips are sealed!" Evanthe nodded her thanks, then Elissa went to the door as a knock sounded on it. She smiled to see Christopher, Evanthe's father, standing there. "Hi, Dad!" Evanthe called out as he came in.
"I have looked forward to this day for so long," he said, smiling at how beautiful his daughter looked. Evanthe nodded, blushing a little.
"So have I, and I thought for most of those years that you and Mom wouldn't be here to see it!
"Well, we are now!" Christopher smiled. " Are you ready?"
"Yeah!" Christopher smiled as he held out his arm, and Evanthe took it. "Time to get married!" * * *
"This is impossible!" Zedd raged. He and Rita had been spying on the Rangers constantly, waiting for just the perfect opportunity for a strike. The recent amusement with Vincent had been fun to watch, and now what Michael was planning was quite interesting. But now, with the news they'd just heard Evanthe tell Elissa, everything seemed to be shifting around!
"It goes beyond impossible!" Rita snapped. "This is as infuriating at her wolf friend having one!"
Zedd's eyes flashed. "Then we must stop the birth!"
"Do you have something in mind, Zedd? Something evil and hateful and disgusting?"
"Yes!" he declared. "Very!!!!" at Rita's insistence, he told her, "We destroy the child, right before it's birth!"
Rita laughed hideously.. "Breaking the little vampire's heart, and who knows, maybe even killing her while we're at it!" their laughter mixed in twisted harmony throughout the lunar night. "You are the most evil person in the universe, Zedd!" * * *
"Would you care for this dance, Elissa?" she looked up to see Adam holding out his hand. She shook her head, returning to her contemplation of the newlywed Evanthe and Billy as they danced all around the Youth Center. Adam glanced around the room, and smiled as he saw Vincent acting silly with Gwen. "He'd make an excellent father!"
"So would Billy," Elissa observed. Adam nodded, mentioning that he and Evanthe were going to be adopting a child. Elissa managed not to think about what Evanthe had told her, she would keep this secret even from her beloved Adam. She bit her lip suddenly, remembering she hadn't told Adam yet about Michael's advances towards her.
Adam smiled. "I can't wait until they're done with the ranch, so we can go up there."
"You'd like the ranch," Elissa said softly, glancing around. She stiffened suddenly. Michael!
"Elissa?"
"Michael," she stood up. "He's outside!"
Adam's eyes flashed. "He'd better not be!"
Gwen!
Where's Liana? She's supposed to be with her!
Adam! Elissa looked straight at her husband. Michael stopped by the house this morning, telling me that I either mate with him, or he kills Gwen!
He WHAT?
Vincent stopped him. Adam, we have to hide Gwen! she started off in search of Vincent and Gwen, she'd seen them only moments earlier.
Where to hide her?
Vincent can hide her, and protect her, until I deal with Michael. She came up behind Vincent, and tapped him on the shoulder.
"What is it, Elissa?" the king asked quietly, holding Gwen in his arms.
"Michael."
Vincent frowned. "He must be dealt with, and Gwen must be protected!"
"Can you take her someplace safe?" Elissa asked. Vincent nodded.
"Michael will not have her!" he declared. Elissa nodded, and turned to Adam.
"Let's go."
Adam nodded sharply. "Time to take care of him once and for all!"
As they started out, Evanthe and Billy rustled up, still glowing with joy from being married. "Hey, what's up, Elissa? You heading out somewhere?" Evanthe wondered.
"We have to," Elissa told her.
"Is something wrong?"
Vincent nodded to Billy's question. "Michael threatened Gwen this morning, and we believe he's outside."
"Need any silver?" was all Evanthe wanted to know. Vincent smiled and shook his head. He'd already come prepared. "Good luck. Go get rid of him!"
With the newlyweds' good wishing, the small company headed out. * * *
Elissa ran to Vincent's car, wanting to get Elissa out of there as fast as possible. Vincent himself was right on her heels, as was Adam. They all stopped, though, when Michael appeared. "Make your choice, Elissa!" he declared at once. "Bond with me, or lose your child's life!"
Oh, I'm going to enjoy this!! She smiled. "I cannot bond with someone else, when I am bonded to my husband!" she gestured to Adam and grinned widely.
"I broke that bond, remember!" Michael raged. Elissa laughed and shrugged.
"And who said that if we were together, that I would start dying? See for yourself!" Elissa was no longer afraid of Michael, for many reasons. "We're standing so close to each other, aren't we?"
Michael glared, sensing somehow someone had undone his marvelous plan. "Who dared do this?"
Vincent casually raised a hand. "And it can't be undone!" he said, smiling. Michael hissed.
"You will pay, Vincent! No one crosses the King of the Werewolves!" pomposity and attitude filled that statement.
"I do," the Vampire King said casually. "Always have, and always will, if the king is like you."
Around Gwen a rose colored mist was beginning to form, one that reached for Elissa. Michael was raging on how he would destroy them all, as Vincent shook his head. "No, you won't."
"What is this?" Michael shouted as the mist around Gwen enveloped Elissa as well. Vincent laughed at him.
"Your doom!" he declared. "You knew of this, that is one of the two reasons you broke their bond!"
Michael stood firm. "This child will not destroy me! I will not permit it!"
Elissa raised her hands and clasped them in front of her, sending two bolts of power soaring into the evil werewolf king. He screamed in pain, falling to the pavement. Michael held out a hand to her, pleading. "No! Elissa, don't do this!" he begged. Elissa, almost in a trance, sent out another blast of energy.
Michael, King of the Werewolves, oldest living being, perished in flames. Elissa collapsed into Adam's arms, unconscious. "Woah. . .," he breathed. "That was incredible!"
Vincent smiled a little, and came over to her, checking her out. "Help me get her to my car," he suggested. Adam nodded and carried her there quickly. "Come on, Elissa," the vampire king whispered softly as he put Gwen into the car seat. "You'd better wake up!"
"Elissa?" Adam whispered softly, stroking her forehead. Elissa?
He had a nervous few moments before he heard her replying, That hurt!
Elissa!
Don't shout.
Sorry!
What just happened?
You got rid of Michael.
How? Elissa's eyes were fluttering, trying to open as she tried to wake up. Adam explained to the best of his ability what had happened. Oh. Okay.
Vincent cleared his throat. "Tell her to open her eyes."
Vincent wants you to open your eyes.
I would if they would let me open them!
Please, keep trying! Adam glanced up and told Vincent what she said. He nodded, and pulled some smelling salts out from his trunk. You're going to be okay!
Hold my hand!
They looked up as Evanthe and Billy came running out of the building behind them. "What's going on?" Billy demanded.
"Elissa!" Evanthe stared in shock at her friend. Tell them I will be fine. I hope.
Adam nodded briefly, then told their friends what had happened, as the other Rangers joined them. Tommy grinned in triumph. "That's good to hear!"
"She should wake up soon," Adam told them. He glanced down as her eyes opened a little and their hands joined.
"What do you say we go home?" Elissa asked softly. Adam smiled.
"Sounds good to me!"
Vincent chuckled. "If you want, I can watch Gwen tonight, and let you two get some rest. You're going to need it, Elissa."
"Please. And we can really rest at last, together," Adam nodded. Elissa smiled as she got to her feet slowly. Doing that had taken quite a lot out of her. She grabbed onto Adam and nodded. "Let's go home." * * *
The next day, Billy and Evanthe were enjoying their honeymoon at the ranch. They had found the romantic pond Elissa had told them of, and Billy was busily kissing his way down Evanthe's neck.
"Ohhhhhh!!" she moaned. "I love it when you do that!" as he kept kissing, she whispered, "Ohhhh!! Don't stop. But. . I do have some news!"
He looked up into her sparkling eyes. I've never seen her like this before. "What?"
She couldn't help but smile. "I'm pregnant."
"You're what?"
"You heard me!"
"How?"
Evanthe giggled. "You should know, you started it!"
Billy laughed at her, she was such a delight! "That's not what I meant, and you know it!"
"Vincent's wedding present to us," she smiled. Billy kissed her tenderly, he had never quite felt so happy as he did now! He was eighteen, immortal, a Power Ranger, and married to the most wonderful vampire in the whole universe!
"A perfect gift," he whispered. He stopped momentarily, placing a hand on her stomach. "Hard to believe that a part of us, part of both of us, is in here, growing!"
Evanthe laid her hand on his. "My greatest dream, come true at last," he saw the tears of joy in her eyes.
"We need to start planning for this little tyke," Billy reminded her. Evanthe nodded.
"They are the first of their kind, you know. The first child of two vampires.
Billy smiled. "Looks like Elissa is going to have someone to give all of Gwen's old clothes to!"
"I wonder if it's a girl or a boy?"
Billy smiled as he kissed her gently. "We'll find out in time."
Evanthe nodded, then all their thoughts were taken up with being with each other in that most perfect of times. * * *
"We shall destroy that child!" Zedd thundered, the throne room glowing red all about him. "And get what we want at the same time!"
"Indeed we shall!" Rita declared. "They will not be happy while we're around!"
Zedd nodded harshly. "They shall never be happy!"
"I want that vampire brat destroyed before it even has a chance to live outside her womb! And that werewolf child, we can use that power to such advantage!"
"First, to find out how to harness her powers!"
"Yes!" Rita screeched. "Harness them to destroy the Rangers!"
"And make her mother watch!" Zedd mocked. Rita laughed with him, enjoying the evil pleasure in it.
"Two children, Zedd!" she purred. "One we want destroyed, one we just want! Which one to deal with first?" Rita just hated having to choose!
Zedd considered. "Both at the same time!" he declared. Rita cackled with glee.
"Yes! The Rangers won't know where to go or who to help first!"
And thus were the plans of evil laid.