Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd were watching, as they usually did, the events unfolding on Earth and concerning the Power Rangers. Zedd laughed softly. "Interesting. . .very interesting. This could work to our advantage!" Zedd laughed, gazing down at the beautiful and evil Ernon as she worked her will upon the Black Ranger. "If we could get her to cast a spell on that Purple Ranger. . .and use the Black Ranger to deliver it. .."

Rita laughed wickedly. "Yes! With the proper management, we could destroy the Rangers, and do it with one of their own!"

Zedd nodded eagerly, laughing. "Let us go to this werewolf!" he declared. In twin flashes of black fire, they were gone.

In her private chambers, Ernon gazed lustfully at a picture of Adam she had stolen. "Soon, my pet," she laughed. "You will be mine forever!"

"Greetings, Ernon!" she glanced up at the sound of voices, to see two beings standing in front of her, a woman in a strange outfit and a skinless male in a chrome exoskeleton.

She raised on eyebrow. "What are you?" they might have frightened some people, but a sorceress and werewolf of her skill and power feared little, no matter how fearsome they might appear to a mortal human.

"I am Lord Zedd, Emperor of Evil, and this is my wife, Rita Repulsa," the red-muscled thing declared. She shrugged a little.

"That's nice. . .and you want. . .what?"

Rita gestured towards the picture in her hands. "We've noticed that you want him."

"We can arrange it," Zedd promised her. "For a price!"

Ernon shrugged casually. "What price?"

"We want the vampire Evanthe."

"I want her too," the sorceress declared. "I want her dead!"

Zedd shook his head; dead wasn't what they had in mind. "We have much more interesting plans than that, but we will take her out of your way!"

Ernon sat up suddenly. "Tell me what I must do, and I shall do it!" if she could get rid of one of her goals without having to put that much effort into it, she would!

Zedd would have smiled, and did under his faceplate, though no one could see it. "Use your pet to deliver a sleeping spell to Evanthe. Once that is done, we must make her friends believe she has truly died, and then we will remove her permanently!"

"Perfect!" Ernon laughed; she couldn't have planned something much better herself! "I know just the one to use, they'll think she's died of poison, and it's very fast-acting!"

"Of course!" Rita declared. "We're experts at this!"

The werewolf smiled wickedly. Experts? Then why have you failed so many times? Oh, yes, I do know who you are. ..but you do not need to know what I do. "Leave me!" she ordered. "I must prepare!"

As they vanished again, Ernon went to her spellchamber. There was much to be done, and much evil to be planned for. "You are going to be mine again, my pet," she laughed. "Forever."

Elissa kissed Adam deeply on the lips, smiling as her hands caressed him gently and tenderly. "I love you, Elissa," Adam whispered. She sighed.

"I wish I didn't have to go back to work today," she murmured. "But this coming weekend, we are going somewhere. We can continue what we did this past weekend."

Adam smiled. "We'll pick up tonight!" he promised. Elissa nuzzled at his neck sweetly, as she often did when they were wolves.

"I hate leaving you alone with Ernon on the loose," she fretted. Adam shook his head.

"It'll be all right," he reassured her. "I can call the others if anything happens, and I can morph if things get really bad."

Elissa sighed again. "I wish Zordon would let me back to active status. But I can understand his reasoning on why he won't," she kissed him again. "I'll be home around five thirty. Have dinner waiting?"

"No problem!"

A mischevious light lit up Elissa's eyes as she started towards the door. "And I'll bring home dessert!"

You are dessert!

Don't spoil your appetite! she teased him gently. "See you later, frogman!"

Love you!

And I love you too. . .bye! she was gone a few moments later, and Adam leaned back against the pillows of the bed, enjoying his day off and humming to himself. It looked like it was going to be a perfect day.

"Hello, my pet!" the voice startled him out of his happy thoughts, and he jumped back, his fingers reaching for his communicator as he did so. Ernon shook her head, quickly re-establishing the control she had over him. "Come to me!" she laughed, watching in glee as the self-will drained out of his eyes.

Adam walked over to her, his eyes burning with dark fury, and wishing he could tear her throat out with his bare hands as she started to open his robe. "How is my pet today?" she laughed.

"Wishing you'd never been born!"

Ernon slapped him lightly. "That's no way to speak to your future mate!"

"The only person I ever want to mate with is Elissa!"

"Pity," the sorceress shook her head as she massaged his chest. "Don't you like this?"

"No!"

Ernon smiled wickedly. "You will learn to like it," she promised him, overriding his objections. "You will, once you do one thing for me."

Adam glared at her. "I will do nothing for you! And get away from me!"

"That is where you are wrong," she corrected him, laughing. "I control your body, and it is irreversible. Now, you will not say another word, and you will give my gift to Evanthe, and when you speak, you will say only as I wish you to say!"

Adam did what he could to fight against her powerful will. "No!"

"What did you say?" Ernon stared at him, her magic overpowering him with practiced ease. Adam's shoulders slumped as she defeated him.

"Yes."

She smiled. "Do you want me?"

"Yes," Adam's voice was almost a monotone, but his mind was a chaos of hate and rage. Yeah, I want you. . .I want you in the heart of the sun when it blows up!

Ernon smiled. "Now, after you have completed my orders, you will come to me, and we shall celebrate," she directed, touching her hands to the side of his head. "And no contacting your wife!" something very like electricity arced from her fingertips to his head, and he winced. She smiled as she handed him a water bottle. "Now, go to Evanthe and give her this. I believe she is working out in the park, alone."

"All right," was all Adam could say, though he wanted to throw it back at her and run like the wind. Ernon laughed as she kissed him down the neck.

"I await your return at the cabin," she told him. "Don't be too long, my pet, I have much planned for us together!"

As she vanished, Adam found himself dressing almost in a daze. Tears stood forth in his eyes as he moved, knowing that what he was about to do, he could not control. Please, forgive me, he didn't know to whom he prayed, but he hoped They would listen.

In far too short of a time, Adam was watching Evanthe as she worked out, practicing the moves that Billy had taught her so well. As she finished her kata, she turned to see him watching her, and smiled. "Hey, Adam!"

He smiled, and it felt fake on him. "Hi," he heard himself speaking. "You look like you could use a drink."

"Thanks," Evanthe took the bottle he held out to her, not seeing the pain in her friend's dark eyes. As she drank it down gratefully, she smiled. "Been a while since I drank water. It cools me down, even though that's about all it does for me. I was going to see if I could find a jogger for lunch, but the park looks sort of empty today."

Adam nodded, cursing himself mentally as he did so. "That's all water does for you? Just cools you down? What about food?"

Evanthe smiled. "I can eat anything I want, it just doesn't do me any good," she told him. "Only blood," she giggled. "Before he became a vampire, Billy said that I was the cheapest date he ever took out to dinner!"

"I remember him saying a little something about that," Adam laughed outwardly, but was sobbing in his heart. "Then joking about how Elissa must be for me!"

The Purple Ranger nodded, then paused suddenly. "A. . Adam. .."

"Something wrong?" he stared at her, knowing all too well what was going on with her.

"I. . .I don't feel too good," Evanthe whispered as pain tore through her, pain she had not felt in centuries. The ground raced up to meet her suddenly, and blackness shut itself across her vision.

Adam still spoke as if she could hear him, not certain if she couldn't yet. "Hang in there! I'll get some help!"

As he ran off, he didn't see Billy coming up from the opposite direction, humming to himself as he walked. The young Blue Ranger was coming to see Evanthe; young William was with her parents, and he had planned a nice romantic day for the two of them.

His eyes went wide with shock and fear as he saw her crumpled into a little heap on the ground. "No!" he swore. "No!" he ran straight for her, his fingers going to the pulse points before realizing that she didn't have a pulse, the living dead never did. He quickly glanced around, to find no one was close enough to see. Good. Gotta get her help. He quickly teleported her and all of her things to the Command Center.

"Ay-yi-yi, Billy, what's the matter?" Alpha asked as he put her on the table.

"I found her passed out in the park," he said as Alpha started scanning everything in sight in the effort to determine what was going on here.

Billy glanced over as Alpha 'ay-yi-yi'd' softly. "What is it?" when the robot didn't answer at once, he let a bit of a vampiric glow show in his eyes. "Alpha!?"

"Billy, the scans show that there was a poison in the water bottle, a very strong one."

The Blue Ranger's eyes blazed. "Any idea on who gave her that bottle?" he glanced at it. "I've never seen it before."

"Scans show Ernon's fingerprints," he was told, and Billy growled even more; how dare that bitch poison his wife!?

He calmed himself as quickly as he could. "Get me Adam and Elissa, now!" his order was responded with a quick flash of rose light that became Elissa.

"What is it?" she half-growled; she'd been shopping for a gift for Adam during an early break and didn't appreciate being interrupted! When Alpha gestured to the table with Evanthe on it, she stopped protesting. "Is she. . .okay?"

Alpha shook his head. "I can't reverse the poison, and there is no known cure."

Dead silence reigned in the Command Center as Elissa went over to Evanthe; trying to wake her up with her tears and her love. Elissa glanced up. "Billy. . .where's Adam?"

"I don't know," the Blue Ranger replied. "Alpha sent for him."

They both stopped wondering when a soft voice spoke. "B. . .Billy. . ."

It was Evanthe. He looked down at his wife, and smiled weakly. "Evanthe. . .you're going to be okay."

"Adam," Evanthe whispered, forcing herself to speak and think as fast as she could. "Where is he?"

"I don't know."

She moistened her lips, concentrating hard. "Water bottle," she whispered, wishing she could transmit what she was feeling far quicker.

"Yes," Billy nodded. "There was a poison in the bottle."

"He. . .gave it," she whispered, wincing slightly as Billy's eyes went wide.

Her husband's hand clenched on hers as she spoke. "Why in the world would Adam give you a water bottle with poison in it?"

"Don't know," she smiled softly, but she had her suspicions. Ernon had to have had something to do with it, or Rita and Zedd.

"You're going to be all right!" Billy insisted. Evanthe shook her head lightly.

"I . . .can feel myself . . .dying," she whispered softly. The feelings were all too familiar to her, any vampire would have known them. "Again."

He squeezed her hand, then drew her closer to him, tears flowing. "I won't let you die!" he insisted. "I need you, Evanthe. . .I love you!"

"I love you too, Billy," she whispered, smiling as she drew the strength from deep within her soul to kiss him. "I will always love you. . ." she looked around. "Elissa?"

The Rose Ranger was sitting next to her. "I'm here."

"You're my best friend. . .," Evanthe forced herself to speak. There were things that needed saying, and she knew she'd never be able to say them again. "I . . love you."

"And right back at you," Elissa replied. "You're going to be just fine." Adam, answer me, where are you!?

Evanthe struggled to speak even more, wanting to get all the words out in what time she had left. The pain was intense, and there seemed to be a warm, welcoming darkness at the edges of her vision. Funny, I thought you were supposed to see a light when you died. . .guess I don't get that, being a creature of darkness. .."Tell my parents. . .I love them. . .Billy. . .tell William. .how much I love him. ..when he's old enough to understand," tears streamed down her cheeks at the thought of never seeing her beloved son again, the son she had never thought she would be able to have.

Billy nodded. "I will," he responded with his own tears. How could this be happening?? "I'll make sure he doesn't forget to eat, either."

"You. . .don't forget either," Evanthe whispered, a soft smile curving her lips. Billy nodded as he leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips, a kiss of love and passion and so much more. In that kiss was held her centuries of waiting, his lifetime of waiting, and the love and future they had thought they would have for all time. . .and a promise they would wait for each other.

Evanthe fell back onto the medbed, closing her eyes there for the last time as every instrument registered the total ceasing of all her bodily functions. Zordon closed his eyes and bent his large head in respect to her passing. Billy and Elissa were both in tears, Billy's hands still clutching at Evanthe's cool ones, as his very being denied the facts before him.

"Why would Adam do this!?" Elissa growled. Billy couldn't reply, but the answer suddenly became crystal-clear to her. "Ernon!" she'll pay. ..no matter what, she will PAY!

With that, she teleported out, back to work, back to bury herself in thoughts that had nothing to do with her now gone best friend, or the fact she could very well have also lost her husband as well. Back to feeling nothing, but one burning, unchanging desire: revenge.

Ernon lay casually on her bed, filing her nails and humming as she awaited Adam's return. When he entered, she smiled coldly. "Speak freely, slave!" she permitted, wondering what was on his mind. Though his tongue would say what he willed, his body would always belong to her now.

"Bitch!" Adam growled, and she only laughed again, ordering him to come over and kiss her. Once he had, he glared at her. "Are you happy now? She's dead! One of my best friends is dead!"

"She is not dead," Ernon told him, getting up and going towards the closet. "Merely in a coma: an eternal sleep."

"Why!?" Oh, God, they're going to bury her alive!

The sorceress shrugged. "Rita and Zedd made me an offer I couldn't refuse!" she chuckled as she entered the closet. Adam heard the sound of a door closing, then a thud. A moment later, the bedroom door opened, and Elissa walked in!

"Oh, Adam!" she declared. Adam just stared, all of his senses aroused for danger at this. "Adam? Adam, darling, it's me!"

Elissa? If it's you. . .tell me about our first meeting! Adam tried to reach her mentally. Whoever stood there stared at him.

"What's wrong?"

Adam glared at her. "You're not Elissa," he grunted. He had absolutely no intentions of trusting anything he saw here; he knew far too well of how Ernon could twist things around. He would believe nothing.

"What are you talking about?" the Elissa-figure asked. "Remember the avalanche?"

Adam shook his head firmly. "You're not her." my Elissa can hear my thoughts.

"Adam if I am not her, how do I know how you got those scars? I nearly tore your arm off!"

Adam shook his head again. "No, you didn't. Elissa did."

She sighed, a tear rolling down one cheek. "Why aren't you answering my questions?"

"Because you're Ernon, not Elissa," he said firmly. If this somehow was Elissa, she would understand his reluctance to believe, and forgive him once her identity was proven to him. If it was Ernon, he would not give in.

She took his hands gently. "Adam, I am not Ernon. She doesn't even know I'm here. I snuck in when she left the cottage. She must somehow have blocked our bond. Adam, I am your Elissa."

Adam looked at her, and hit upon a way to know the truth. She might know everything that happened in THIS universe. . .but I think our recent adventures could stymie her! "Have you seen Aura and Azure lately?" he asked casually.

She glanced at him, frowning slightly. "No."

"What was Azure's husband's name again?" Adam pressed, sensing her hesitation. "He and I were supposed to get together this weekend, and I went and forgot his name!" he forced a laugh. "Me and my memory, I'm getting as bad as Tommy!" she still said nothing. "Well?" he glared at her. "I really should know his name."

Elissa growled suddenly, then Ernon stood where she had. Adam smiled; he'd known the truth, and had stuck it out, no matter how much she'd tried. "I see that didn't work!" she hissed.

"Your lies will never stop true love!" Adam told her. Ernon shrugged.

"Doesn't matter," she told him. "You are mine forever!" she laughed icily as she slithered up next to him on the bed. "She can't hear you. I blocked you. It's you I want, Adam, and you I have. By the way, I know when you try and contact her, it's part of what I did earlier," she touched his forehead again, and once more the strange electricity coursed through him. "You can contact her now, but if you do, you will be in soo much pain, and so will she! Go ahead and try and contact her!"

Adam shook his head; he had no doubts that this time she was speaking the truth. "I won't hurt her."

"Then lay down," Ernon demanded. "And give yourself to me willingly!"

"Take what you want," Adam told her. "But I will never give myself to you!"

The sorceress laughed. "If you don't, I'll torture her again!" of course, I think I'll do it anyway!

"Don't!"

"Then you will give yourself to me?" she asked far too sweetly. Adam glared at her.

"Only to keep Elissa safe," he told her. "But you will never have my heart; that is hers for all time!"

Ernon smiled as she released his control of his mind and body. "You try to escape, and she suffers, painfully and slowly!" she told him as she began to kiss him. Adam did what he had said he would, but his mind was totally and completely with his wife. Ernon could never, would never touch that part of him.

"Elissa?" the Rose Ranger-werewolf looked up to see Tommy standing in the room, looking at her curiously. She nodded quietly as he came over to her; it was obviously from the shock and redness in his eyes he knew about Evanthe already. "How are you doing?"

"How am I supposed to be?" she said, her voice strong and even regardless of the pain in it. "Evanthe is dead, and it seems that Adam is the one to blame, I can't even contact him."

Tommy nodded. "Alpha's been trying to locate him," he told her. Something in his pocket almost seemed to burn him, but he couldn't reveal it just yet. He had to wait till the right moment, till he knew she was ready for it.

"I hope he can find him," Elissa said. She wanted to know what was going on with him, what Ernon had to do with this, what was really going on.

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "May you should try again."

"Okay," she shrugged. Adam? she winced at a sudden pain, but ignored it. Adam, can you hear me? she screamed suddenly, falling out of her chair in pain that ripped into her head.

"Elissa!" Tommy came over, helping her back up. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But I think I got through, I felt him. He didn't say anything, but I could feel him."

"This is starting to get weird," Tommy understated. Elissa nodded. She had a very good idea of who was responsible, too, and grunted out the name. "You think Ernon has him?"

Elissa looked at him. "She has to! Who else would take Adam, and do this to us!?" she gestured to her head, still wrinkled in pain. Tommy nodded, agreeing with her. "I want him back, and I want her dead!"

"We'll be doing everything we can," Tommy assured her. "You know we're here for you."

Elissa nodded. "I know. It's sort of weird, though, seeing that I'm not a Ranger at the moment."

"Hey, we're friends first, then Rangers," Tommy reminded her. "Besides, the moment's past."

She responded with the witty comment of "What?" her eyes widened at the sight of her Power Coin being held out to her.

"Welcome back," he smiled. The look in her eyes had been well worth the wait.

"Are you sure?" Elissa asked breathlessly. "Is Zordon sure?"

Tommy chuckled. "He's the one who told me to give this back to you."

"This is the one good thing that happened today!" Elissa declared as she took the coin back. "Besides what I got in the mail today."

"What's that?"

She reached behind her to pick up a thick book. "From Vincent. It seems the Wolven High Council wants me to have this, to start training Gwen in the ways of sorcery. It might come in handy, don't you think?"

Tommy nodded; Gwen had many talents, it seemed! "Um, does Vincent know yet? About Evanthe?"

"I've been trying to get in touch with him since it happened," she said quietly, flipping through the book to something she had searched for on getting it. "I talked to Liana, and she said she'd tell Vincent, and have him call me after he found out, and recovered from the shock."

She pointed out to the page, to where a spell that would enable Adam to resist Ernon's spell of control was written. Tommy smiled. "Adam will be glad to see that!"

"I wonder if I can do it," Elissa glanced at it, it didn't seem to be that hard, really. Such a simple thing, but with such GREAT results if it works right. "I think I will try it, once we get him back."

Tommy nodded. "Alpha's doing his best," he reminded her. Elissa smiled briefly, weakly.

"Contact me when he does. I have to finish this before leaving," she gestured to her work. "And I only have one little detail to put on it."

"I will," he promised, leaving her to finish her work, and to hope things would straighten themselves out very, very soon.

Things were still in their tangled mess at Evanthe's private funeral the next day. Adam was still missing, and Evanthe was still dead. Further tests of the poison indicated it was slightly magical, which it would almost have to be for it to affect a vampire in the first place, so no announcement of her death was going to take place for some time yet, until they knew there was no way to bring her back. There was the slim chance they could somehow reverse what had been done. But until they knew one way or the other, she would be kept in a glass coffin in a small bit of woods not far from the Command Center. The Rangers stood around staring at it, with Billy holding William and Elissa holding Gwen in their respective arms.

Zordon, whose image had been transferred to a small plasma tube brought there, spoke quietly. THIS IS A DAY THAT I HOPED I WOULD NEVER SEE.

"We all did," Aisha replied as Elissa stepped over to the coffin and laid a hand on it.

"You have been my friend for a hundred years. You were kind, noble, true, just, and most of all, you were dedicated to those you called friend. I stayed with you throughout all of your time running from Sophie and Girard because of those traits. Wherever you are, may you find peace, my dear friend."

Billy stared at the coffin, still somewhat in shock. "I will love you forever, Evanthe," he whispered. "For ever and always."

REST, NIGHT RANGER, Zordon's voice was strong, and full of tears he might not be shedding, but wanted to. THE JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFE LED YOU TO YOUR DESTINY WITH US, BUT NOW YOU BEGIN ANOTHER JOUNEY: THAT OF ETERNAL PEACE AND SLEEP. WE WILL MISS YOU.

Tears poured down every cheek, and would have down Alpha's if he could. Elissa stood up suddenly, and ran from the funeral site, in tears, unable to hold herself in one place another moment. Tommy went after her, seeing her near a tree not too far from the site. He knew what she needed the most, and wrapped his arms around her, not being sexual or romantic, just being the strong friend he had always tried to be to her, and let her cry herself out.

Some time later, she looked up at him. "Why is this happening?" she whispered through her tears. He shook his head.

"I don't know."

She cried longer, until a sudden saccharine voice laughed. "Oh, isn't this sweet!"

They both looked up to see Adam and Ernon standing there, Adam wearing only the briefest of loincloths and looking a little bruised and worn, while Ernon wore a triumphant and mocking expression. Elissa's eyes narrowed as she reached for the spellbook she was trying never to be without, and quickly turned for the spell she wanted. "I hope this works," she muttered, speaking the words quickly before Ernon could say or do anything. It was obvious the sorceress had been taken by surprise, as she simply stood there.

Adam looked for a moment at Ernon, then ran over to Elissa, tears in his eyes at being free at last. "Oh, Elissa. . .," he whispered softly. She smiled, then glared to Ernon.

"I'd get out of here if I were you!" she ordered. Ernon growled, then a long, broad smile lit her features.

"I will have you again, my pet," she promised Adam, then turned to Elissa. "And I've already taken away your best friend, Elissa!" she vanished a moment later.

Adam and Elissa were in each others arms a moment later, and Adam was shaking. "It's okay," Elissa told him. "You're safe for now."

"Elissa," he held her tightly. "Oh, Elissa."

I love you, Adam.

I love you, Elissa, they both smiled at the sensation of absolutely no pain; that too had been broken. Elissa smiled, mouthing over to Tommy that he was back. Adam touched Elissa's face wonderingly. "Elissa. . .I. . .Evanthe. . .I. .."

"You what?"

"I gave her that poison," he looked down at his toes. "I. .ho. .how is she?"

Elissa glanced from Tommy to Adam. "She died yesterday."

"No," Adam whispered. She's not dead, and I can't tell them! Ernon's spell STILL isn't fully off me!!!

Tommy put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Look, none of us blame you. We know Ernon had control of you, it's her fault, not yours."

"Adam, it's okay," Elissa told her husband. "Come say good-bye."

The others stared as Adam walked back with Tommy and Elissa, then as the White and Rose Rangers explained what was going on, Adam walked over to the coffin. He bent over, whispering so low that no one could have heard him. "I won't let Rita and Zedd do whatever it is they're planning," he promised the comatose vampire. "I'm responsible for this, Evanthe, and I won't fail you again, my friend. I won't."

Adam looked up as Elissa put a hand on his shoulder. "Adam, come on, let's go home."

Adam nodded quietly, as Elissa looked back to the others. "We'll see you all later. Billy, are you sure you don't want to stay with us tonight?" when he just shook his head, she sighed. "Okay. Call if you want to talk, though."

Billy just nodded, and the two of them left. Once they were home, they were almost instantly curled on the bed, their favored place for talking things out and over. "I missed you," Elissa whispered. It had been a long and lonely night the night before without him there with her.

"I missed you too."

"Did she force you. .. ," she couldn't finish her sentence, but Adam nodded, she knew what was meant.

"She tried to impersonate you too."

Elissa wrapped her arms around him. "She can't control you," she promised, her voice dipping a little softer to finish it. "For now."

"I know."

Elissa softly kissed him on the cheek. "Don't blame yourself for what happened to Evanthe."

"She will pay for it," Adam promised. "With her own blood."

Elissa nodded as she slowly cuddled against him. "That she will," as she did so, she saw a dark, discolored spot on his chest, and traced it. "What happened?"

"She hit me," he said, his voice distant and distracted. "I didn't please her enough, and she did that."

"That bitch!" Elissa declared. She added the bruise to the very long list of things Ernon was going to pay for, very, very soon.

"It's just a bruise," Adam tried to brush it away, but Elissa shook her head.

"She hurt you," she reminded him. All hurts would be avenged. "Does it still hurt?" when he said just a little, she softly kissed it. "Make it better?"

He smiled tenderly at her. "Yeah. A lot better."

Tears stood in her eyes as he looked down at her. "Hold me, Adam," she whispered softly as his arms wrapped around her. Quietly in the loving arms of her husband, she cried herself to sleep, mourning the friend of the century.

Rita and Zedd were involved in hideous celebration on the moon as they watched. "Time to take our vampire!" Zedd declared; things had gone just as they had planned!

"At last!"

"Those puny Rangers won't know what hit them!" Zedd declared. "And the Black Ranger is the only one who will know!"

Rita nodded. "And he can't say anything about it!"

"Elissa might have blocked Ernon's control, but she cannot break the block on what truly happened!"

"Only Ernon's death can do that!" Rita reminded him, and Zedd laughed with evil glee. Ernon might not have Adam anymore, but they were about to have the vampiric slave they'd wanted for almost two years now!

Zedd stood up. "Let us go collect Evanthe! She'll finally be where she should have been from the beginning!" they vanished, reappearing next to Evanthe's glass coffin. The deep sleep the potion had put her into could only be broken by Zedd himself, and as he shattered the glass cover, he did so.

Evanthe's eyes flickered open as she awakened. "B. ..Billy?" she whispered; he was the last thing she remembered seeing, as the pain and darkness had overwhelmed her.

"Wrong," Zedd declared. "Your new master!"

The Purple Ranger's eyes cleared at once, and she growled. "Zedd!"

He laughed. "Welcome back to life. It's time for you to serve me!"

"Never!" Evanthe did what she could to back away, only to find her coffin was far too small for that. Oh, wonderful. Trapped by the greatest cliché of vampirekind.

Zedd raised his staff. "You will! The Rangers think you're dead!"

"Then I'll prove to them I am not!" she retorted. Zedd only laughed as the lightning emerged from the tip of his staff to wrap around her body and mind. She stopped fighting and lay there quietly. "How can I serve you, Master?" she spoke woodenly.

The Emperor of Evil laughed as he held out his hand to her. "Come with us!"

The enspelled Ranger took his hand. "I exist only to serve you."

"Let us go!" Zedd declared, Rita a silent {thankfully} and evil presence behind him. As they vanished, Adam stood between the trees watching them, and sank to his knees in regret and sorrow.

"No! I failed you again, Evanthe! I am so sorry!"

On the moon, Evanthe stood in the throne room before Rita and Zedd, her eyes blank and waiting. Zedd knew he couldn't send her back down to fight the Rangers as she was, so he told his wife, "Rita, she is yours! Change her as you see fit!"

"This should be interesting!" Rita declared, waving her wand. A wash of light passed over Evanthe, and then where she had stood was now a taller, slightly more robust, blonde, blue-eyed vampire, clad in a sensual gown of summer blue.

"Rita, you have outdone yourself!" Zedd declared, very impressed by his wife's work!

The evil witch laughed. "I know I have!"

"Pity she can't see the 'new her'!" Zedd laughed, recalling that vampires couldn't see themselves in mirrors. He didn't know if that was because traditionally they had no souls, but soulless or not: Evanthe belonged to him now!

In her peculiar hollow voice, she spoke. "I will do all I can to prove myself your worthy servant, Lord Zedd, Empress Rita."

"Tomorrow afternoon," Zedd ordered. "You shall go to him," he showed her an image of Billy. "Come on to him, not too heavily, enough to get him aroused, and gain his trust. He is one of the first to fall to you!"

Evanthe nodded. "Yes, master."

"You shall also use a different name," Zedd decided, knowing she couldn't use her own anymore than she could have her face. "You are now Alyssa Sans, the warrior of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa."

"As you command," Evanthe/Alyssa spoke quietly. There was no emotion in her; only the overwhelming desire to serve her masters. Rita laughed as she went to the quarters they designated for her.

"I like her so much better like this, Zeddykins!"

Elissa rolled over, expecting to feel the warmth of Adam at her back as she did so. When she didn't, she sat up sharply, her eyes wide with worry. Adam?

Relief filled her when his voice came back to her. Elissa. . .I failed her again.

Adam, what are you talking about?

Evanthe. I failed her again.

Where are you?

Her coffin. What's left of it.

Adam, how did you fail her again?

Zedd and Rita. They took her.

Elissa was out of bed a second later. What!? Why?

I don't know, his misery was plain in his mental voice. Elissa seized everything she would need, and told him to stay right there. As she teleported to him, he whispered mentally, I failed her. . .

"Adam, you did not fail her!" she insisted as she appeared next to him. She was going to force that belief on him till he believed it himself!

"I got here too late!"

"Why did you come here in the first place?" Elissa asked quietly.

Adam looked up at her. "I wanted to protect her."

Elissa sighed. "Adam, this is making very little sense. Come on, let's get you to the Command Center."

Within moments, they were all at the Command Center. Rocky looked around, frowning. "What's the problem?"

All of them went pale when Elissa spoke what little she had learned from her husband. Billy's eyes went red and his fangs flashed with sudden fury. "Rita and Zedd did what?!"

"Took Evanthe's body."

"She never rested in peace for more than a few weeks because of them while she was with us, she's going to now if I have to take her body back myself!"

Elissa glanced over to Adam, who sat with his head in his hands looking at the floor, then back to Billy, who looked ready to kill anyone who got near him. Adam, what aren't you telling me?

Nothing. . .

"Bull!" she spoke out loud, and Adam flinched back, looking up at her helplessly.

"I can't tell you!" he told her, wishing with all his heart that he could, just to get it off his chest.

"Why not?"

Adam sighed. "I want to. But I can't. Ernon. .," he couldn't finish the sentence.

Elissa growled as she went to the computer. "I am going to kill her."

Not before I do!

Together!

You got it!

Rocky cleared his throat; they couldn't hear Elissa and Adam, but they knew things were being said, and what it most likely was. "Mind if I join in on this murder?"

"All of us, for that matter!" Tommy interjected. Adam smiled and nodded.

"Sure," he told them. "Nice to have help when you're going to be doing something that will probably take a few months!"

Elissa smiled suddenly as something occurred to her. "I got it!"

"What?"

She came over to him. "Remember what Zedd did to Azure, making it impossible for her to 'talk' about what happened to her?"

Adam nodded, then his eyes went wide. "You mean. . .?"

"It was something that Aura said...what if Adam WROTE it down," Elissa suggested. "That might work!"

Adam was on his feet a moment later. "Get me something to write with!" the Rangers watched in shock as Adam began to write, his pen flying across the paper. When he was done, Elissa read it quickly, and as she did so, she went paler than Evanthe.

"What is it?" Rocky asked quietly.

"She wasn't dead."

Aisha's eyes blazed as Elissa read what Adam had written out loud. Billy growled harshly. "Who knows what they'll do to her!?"

"We'll get her back, but we can't let Rita and Zedd now that we know Evanthe is still alive."

Billy stared off into space, sighing. "Evanthe, I'm going to bring you home."

Elissa nodded. "That we will."

There was nothing else the Rangers could do just then, though. They returned home to finish out their rest, since the call had come practically in the middle of the night. Rocky was feeling somewhat more able to deal with things as he walked down the street the next morning, deep in thought.

Hope we can get Evanthe back soon. It's so strange, she's technically dead already, but the thought of not seeing her around and moving. . .that's like she's REALLY dead, like humans are dead. As he paused to tighten a loose shoestring, a delicate voice spoke from behind him.

"Do you have the correct time?" he turned to see a tall, leggy blonde behind him. He glanced down at his watch, and was about to tell her what it was, when she spoke again. "Never mind! It's breakfast time!" he yelped harshly as the stranger sank sharp fangs into him. "I like food that fights back!"

Alyssa Sans drank deeply, grinning as Rocky passed out into her arms. As she dropped him to the ground, she saw his Power Coin slipping out of one pocket. Ohhh, she laughed to herself. Perfect! One less Ranger for my masters to have to deal with! She pocketed it quickly, then teleported away, back to the moon.

Behind her, Rocky slowly started to come to, pressing his fingers against the alread healing wound in his neck. "Rocky!" he winced at the calling of his name and looked up to see Tommy coming over to him. "Rocky, what's the matter?"

"Ohhhh," He muttered. "I got jumped by a vampire." it was kind of amazing how they could get used to that sort of thing!

Tommy helped him up. "Man, you should probably go get some rest, then! I know it takes a lot out of you!"

"Why do I feel so weak?" Rocky wondered. "I didn't when Billy drank from me that one time."

The White Ranger frowned. "How much did they get?" he looks sort of weak. ..wait. . ."Rocky, your morpher?"

"Not too much," Rocky shook his head. "I passed out when Billy did it that one time. . .," when Tommy's question sank in, he quickly dived for the Coin. "She got it!"

Tommy's eyes went wide. "Why? Why would a vampire want it?"

"Unless they were working. . .for. .." Rocky took a deep breath, and Tommy finished it.

"Rita and Zedd," he sighed. Tommy helped him stay steady on his feet. "Come on, we're taking you to the Command Center."

Rocky nodded. "You'll get no complaints from me."

Billy sat on the porch of his house quietly, staring into nothing in particular. Alpha had kicked him out of the Command Center while they searched for a way to rescue Evanthe from the moon, and he was browsing through a photo album. Vampires might not be able to be seen in mirrors, but they took photos fairly well.

"Excuse me," he glanced up the low, purring voice to see a blonde beauty in front of him. "I was wondering, I'm new in Angel Grove, and I'm sort of lost. I'm looking for the Youth Center."

"Down the road, four blocks," he told her almost disinterestedly, hardly even looking up from his photo album.

"Maybe you could show it to me?" she asked hopefully. Billy shook his head a little. "You're not being very helpful. I just asked for you to walk me there."

Billy sighed. "I'm sorry. You caught me on a bad day. Hold on a sec and I will." he went and got William, and as he came out, she introduced herself quietly as Alyssa Sans. "I'm Billy, and this is William."

"Nice to meet you, Billy," the two of them shook hands and started walking. "And William obviously takes after you."

Billy shook his head. "His mother."

"Oh?" Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Where is she, working?"

Billy shook his head, staring as William reached his baby hands out for Alyssa. "That's weird," he frowned. "He usually doesn't like strangers."

His communicator beeped suddenly, and he eyes widened. "Oh, what was that? A watch alarm?"

"My pager," Billy said. "I really have to get back home."

Alyssa nodded quietly. "All right, I can see the Youth Center from here, thanks Billy. I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Billy nodded as he turned and headed back out. The second he was out of sight, he teleported with William in his arms back to the Command Center. The first thing he saw was Adam sitting in a chair, looking like he had been crying, with Elissa standing behind him, a hand on his shoulder, and Rocky on an examining table, almost unconscious.

"What's up? And what's wrong with Rocky?"

Tommy told him, "A vampire attacked him, stole his power coin."

"What did this vampire look like?" he wondered; things were starting to get very weird. When Tommy described what Rocky had said, Billy's eyes went even wider with shock. "Damn!"

"What is it?"

Billy shook his head. "I just left her. She was heading for the Youth Center!"

"Whoa!" Aisha shook her head. "That's weird!"

They looked up suddenly as alarms began to ring all over the Command Center. "What is it, Alpha?" Tommy asked, frowning.

"Rita and Zedd have sent down . ..someone! And the readings indicate that she has Rocky's Power Coin!"

Elissa's voice was firm. "Then let's go stop her," and you're staying here with Rocky!

Elissa, please!

You didn't get ANY sleep last night, you're in no condition to fight. Be mad at me all you like, you're staying. I've already talked it over with Tommy.

All right. But hurry back!

Elissa smiled. "I will."

"It's morphin' time!"

In the park, a young blonde was laughing evilly. "Hey!" Elissa shouted as she appeared, and saw the twisted uniform of the Red Ranger on her. In much the same fashion Zedd had used the original power morphers to create his temporary Dark Rangers once, now he had linked the evil Alyssa to Rocky's own power. She couldn't use it to the extent he could, but it was enough. "That's not your power to use!"

"I stole it fairly!" Alyssa declared. "It belongs to me!"

"No, it doesn't!" Elissa retorted. "Those powers belong to Rocky!" there's something familiar about that voice. It sounds a little like Evanthe.

Alyssa shook her head. "I'm going to keep them though. .forever!"

"That's what you think!" Billy declared. The false Red Ranger turned to him, an laughed.

"Why, Billy, why so mean? Are you. . .missing someone?" at the language Billy spewed in her direction, Alyssa laughed. "That's no way to talk to a lady!"

Billy snorted. "Funny, the only ladies I see here are the Pink, Yellow, and Rose Rangers!"

Alyssa growled. "Enough time wasted! Time to die, Rangers!"

She leaped among them, twirling, kicking, punching, and generally fighting as dirty as she possibly could, until the moment came when she stood with her arm around Tommy's throat, and her fangs plainly visible, her helmet tossed to the side. "I wonder, how does the White Ranger taste? As pure as your color? Or as twisted as you used to be?"

Elissa growled, "That does it! Power Crossbow!" she never had time to shoot her weapon, though, as Alyssa threw Tommy at her harshly.

"You Rangers are so pathetic!!!" she declared. What a fool she'd ever been to do anything but what her masters wanted her to do! She growled as suddenly Aisha kicked her in the back, then flipped away. "You'll pay for that, Yellow Ranger, with your own blood pouring down my throat!"

"I don't think so," Aisha shook her head, going for another kick, only to have Alyssa move out of the way quickly.

"I shall return," she said firmly, her eyes on Billy. "Most especially for you!"

Billy growled as he helped Tommy up, and the White Ranger shook his head, trying to clear it. "She's still got Rocky's coin too."

"And they still have Evanthe."

Kim nodded in agreement to what Aisha had said. "And this Alyssa is one dirty fighter."

"Let's get to the Command Center," Elissa suggested. "I want to check on the guys."

Zedd laughed as Alyssa reappeared in the throne room, dropping to her knees obediently. "Perfect!" he declared. "You have done well!"

"Are you pleased, my master?" she asked, toying with Rocky's coin, and wondering what it would take so she could draw it's full power from it.

"Very much so!" Zedd laughed. "My Red Ranger!"

"He was very tasty! And his coin is so useful in fighting the others!"

Zedd nodded. "That it is. Go rest now, for tomorrow, you will destroy one of the Rangers!"

"Which one?"

"The Rose Ranger!" Zedd declared. Alyssa blinked a little, repeating that as a silver dagger appeared in her master's hand. "And you shall use this to do it."

Images flashed through Alyssa's mind, images of times with the Rose Ranger, and the strength of friendship pulsing through her. "I. . .I. .."

"What?" Zedd growled.

"I remember . ..being nice to her," when 'Alyssa Sans' had been born, Evanthe Cranston had in a sense of the word died, her memories and thoughts subsumed by the alternate personality.

Zedd laughed. "A ruse, to gain her trust!" he told her. She seemed to believe that, and he cleared his throat; she had to be gotten off track before she remembered too much. "Now go rest."

"Yes, master," she said obediently, heading to her small room. As soon as she was gone, Rita glared at her husband.

"I think she was coming close to remembering who she is!"

Zedd growled. "I know!"

"We can't let that happen, Zedd! We're too close to being able to achieve complete victory now!"

"Let us see how she fares in that fight," Zedd decided. "We must keep a close eye on her!"

Rita nodded. "We went to too much trouble to get her as last. I'm not going to lose her!"

"No, we are not going to lose her!"

Elissa sighed as she turned various pages through the spellbook, casting glances at Adam every now and then. He had lost consciousness while they were gone, and she was worried about him.

"Alpha, any luck finding Vincent yet?"

"Still working on it, Tommy."

Elissa jumped up suddenly. "I found it! I know what she used on Evanthe! It's an eternal sleep potion!" she quickly read it off to them, then read the next entry: the antidote for it.

Tommy shook his head. "They sure went to a lot of trouble this time."

"That they did," Elissa nodded, looking at Adam and brushing some hair out of his face.

Kim sighed. "I'm getting worried. What are they doing to her? With her? Whatever. They haven't even contacted us to gloat over the fact they have her. that's not like them."

"Found Vincent!" Alpha declared. "Teleporting now!"

A second later, the vampire king was standing in the Command Center, looking around. "Hello," there were evident tears in his eyes.

"Vincent. Got some good news and bad news," Elissa told him. "Which do you want first?"

"The bad news," the vampire king said slowly. How could things get any worse than one of his best friends being dead?

"Rita and Zedd have Evanthe; they took her right from her crypt."

"How dare they!"

Elissa moved over to show him the page in the book about that sleep potion. "This is the good news. She's not dead. That's the good news. Well, anymore dead than your average vampire."

"Good," Vincent smiled. "You must get her back."'

Elissa nodded. "Ever hear of a vampire named Alyssa Sans?"

"There isn't one," Vincent responded after a moment of thought. "The only way she could exist and I not know would be if she was made one in the last twenty minutes or so."

Tommy frowned briefly. "Any chance you can get any fingerprints off Rocky? If she's had hers registered anywhere, we should be able to figure out who she really is."

Alpha was on the job. "Ay-yi-yi, Tommy, I'll do my best!"

"Why do you ask about this Alyssa?" Vincent wondered. Once Elissa explained, he nodded quickly. "I see."

A few tense moments passed, then Elissa spoke quietly. "Any luck, Alpha?"

"The results are coming in now!"

Billy glanced at the readout as the paper extruded from the device. "It can't be!" his eyes were wide. "It can't be!"

"What is it, Billy?" Kim asked.

Billy took a deep breath. "Evanthe."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Her fingerprints?"

At Billy's nod, Tommy groaned. "Oh, man, what have they done to her? She doesn't even look the same, and she attacked Rocky, stole his Coin; they have to be controlling her somehow!"

Elissa sighed. "Pity this book can't show me how to combat Rita and Zedd's spells."

"You still have a chance to save her. They cannot take away her love for you all, or yours for her, that is a weapon in itself."

The Rose Ranger smiled. "True. I guess we rest until the next attack."

"Only thing we can do."

Elissa went over to Adam as people began to teleport out of the Command Center and nudged him. "Come on, handsome. Time to go home to bed," as he opened his eyes and murmured sleepily, Elissa chuckled. "Let's go!" in rose and black flashes, they were gone. Tommy sighed.

"When will Rita and Zedd stop trying to turn one of us against the others?"

"The day they realize they're stupid idiots?" Billy suggested. Kim nodded.

"Let's hope that's soon!"

Billy sighed as he nodded, teleported back to his house, and slipped his son into bed. He practically jumped out of his skin when a hand ran itself down his neck. He turned to see Alyssa standing behind him.

"We meet again."

"I guess so," Billy sighed. Alyssa smiled wickedly.

"You don't look too thrilled."

Billy shook his head. "I'm tired."

"Too tired to play with me?" Alyssa's voice was a silken purr as she touched him tenderly.

"Yes!"

Alyssa laughed. "You might want to play. It could save your life."

Billy growled, grabbing her wrists and holding them tightly. "Look, I don't know who you really are, but I love my wife, and I will remain faithful to her!"

"She's dead!" Alyssa taunted. "I'm not!"

"Then let me mourn!"

Alyssa laughed. "Why mourn when you can forget?" she pulled him closer to her for a kiss that burned his very lips and soul.

Billy sighed. This is Evanthe. ..she just doesn't know it anymore! "Because I love her," he turned his head. "Nothing can change that fact." a few tears splashed down his cheeks.

His eyes widened as he heard a voice he'd thought not long ago he'd never hear again. "B. .Billy?" Evanthe whispered, staring at him. He turned his head to see her standing there, the disguise spell gone, and her own beautiful self there.

"Evanthe! Oh, Evanthe!" he held her tightly. "I love you so much!"

"Billy!" she whispered, leaning against him. "I love you!"

"You're free?"

She glanced down at herself. "I think so."

He smiled. "Two friends free," he held her close to him, kissing her tenderly all over. "Almost."

Evanthe paled suddenly. "Rocky. I have his coin!"

"We need to get it back to him," Billy said. Evanthe nodded quickly; the last thing she wanted was the taint of stolen powers as well!

"I can't believe the lengths they went to this time!" she shivered at the thought of the complexity of their plan this time.

Billy touched her forehead. "You're free. That's all that matters. You're free, Adam is almost free."

Evanthe smiled as she kissed him, then pulled out Rocky's coin. "This doesn't belong to me," she said, handing it to Billy.

"He should be glad to see it again."

Evanthe nodded. "I wish I hadn't taken it, or attacked him or done any of it!"

"He understands," Billy reassured her. "And we all do. We all missed you, we thought you were dead."

His wife shivered. "So did I. Until Zedd woke me up from that sleep. I much rather prefer seeing you when I wake up!"

As they kissed, Billy suddenly stumbled, when Evanthe. . .wasn't there anymore! "No!" he shouted. "No!"

Will I never have her back again?

Zedd growled fiercely, glaring at Evanthe as she pounded on the forcefield he had teleported her into. "Let me go!" she screamed. "Now!" it wasn't Alyssa now, it was pure Evanthe, the Purple Ranger, who glared back at him.

"It's a good thing I thought to keep an eye on her, Zedd!" Rita declared. Zedd practically ignored her.

"Never!" he told Evanthe. "You shall serve us again!"

"Never!" the Purple Ranger shook her head harshly. "Never again!"

Zedd laughed as he raised his staff, sending a beam of darkness from it's tip to enfold her. Evanthe screamed as it hit her, writhing around in pain for several long moments. When she stopped, he looked at her. "Whom do you serve, vampire?"

"You and only you, Lord Zedd," it was Alyssa who spoke, in body and in voice. Zedd nodded approvingly.

"Then rest. Tomorrow is the destruction of the Rose Ranger!"

Alyssa nodded herself. "As you command, master," as she headed to her chamber, a small, unnoticed tear ran down one cheek.

The next morning, Elissa and Adam were sitting on their porch. Billy had called early to let them know what had happened with Alyssa/Evanthe the night before, and they hadn't been able to sleep since. Adam had his head nestled on his wife's shoulder, and they were simply enjoying the morning as best they could.

How are you holding up? it was, naturally, Elissa's voice in his mind.

I'll be all right.

"That's not what I asked," she said out loud. He sighed.

"I'm holding up as well as can be expected, I guess."

Elissa held his hand. "I've still got that vacation time, if you want to leave Angel Grove for a while."

"Maybe after we get Evanthe back permanently," he suggested. Elissa nodded, sighing.

"I wish none of this happened."

Adam agreed totally with her. "So do I. I wish Ernon had never shown up or better still, never been born."

Elissa nodded. "We have the means to combat her now. I just wish I knew how long what I did lasts."

"Hopefully long enough."

For me to kill her.

For all of us to do it.

Elissa glanced over at him. "You look tired."

"I am tired!" he told her. Elissa smiled a little.

"Why don't you go lie down? I'll be in shortly," she suggested. Adam nodded and headed on inside, yawning as he did so. He was more than tired, he was exhausted!

A sudden bolt of lightning resolved itself into a tall figure before her. "Ready to die, Rose Ranger?" Alyssa hissed.

"Evanthe?" Elissa turned to see her standing there, a long, cruel-bladed silver knife in her hands.

"I said, are you ready to die?"

Elissa stood up, stabbing quickly at her communicator to call all the others in; even Adam came back outside, still in his shorts! "Evanthe, this isn't you!"

Alyssa shook her head. "Your death has been ordered by Lord Zedd, and I will fulfill his orders!"

Elissa shook her head in return. "Lord Zedd is an idiot! And should learn that this isn't going to work; you have to come back to us!"

Alyssa stepped closer to her, eyes glinting with evil, as the Rangers closed in, not daring to come too close as she was in position to attack Elissa too swiftly for them to prevent her death. "You can't stop me, Rangers!" she laughed wickedly.

"Evanthe," Elissa spoke again. "This isn't you. Try to remember all that we've been through!"

"I remember my orders to kill you!"

Elissa glared at her. "Then that's what you'll have to do! Because I won't fight you! You're my friend!"

Alyssa was on top of her almost once, the knife upraised. Then. . .she slowly lowered it. "I want to. ..but. ..I can't. .." memories flashed through her mind, memories of the two of them doing things together, things that friends would do. ...she shivered.

The Rose Ranger shook her head. "Evanthe, you have saved my life on numerous occasions. For almost a century we've been friends, you're not going to let Rita and Zedd destroy what we've worked so hard for, are you?"

Alyssa shivered. "I. . they. .I'm . .supposed to fight you. .."

"You are Evanthe," Elissa said. "The Purple Ranger. My friend. We don't fight."

The knife tumbled out of Alyssa's fingers, and Evanthe Cranston stood there, staring into Elissa's eyes. "Evanthe?" Elissa whispered.

Elissa smiled as she caught her friend in a huge bear hug, and teleported to the command Center; they had to make sure this was really Evanthe!

On the moon, no one had any doubts on what had happened! Zedd screamed out denials over and over, half wondering if he could just throw a tantrum like a child. "Tell me that it didn't happen!" Rita whined. Something in the sound of her voice gave him a strange idea, however.

"Okay," he nodded slightly. "I won't. But I do believe I have a plan. But to do it, we must take a little trip."

"Oh?" Rita was excited at once. "Something to get back at those Rangers, and especially that Purple one for daring to break our spell!"

Zedd nodded. "And the Blue Ranger shall be her downfall! Come, my dear. I shall explain on our way to Synth IV!"

In the Command Center, Evanthe was apologizing to everyone for what she'd done as Alyssa Sans. Once she was done, she smiled a little. "Guys, I know I'm a vampire, but you didn't have to put me in a coffin! Rocky, I really am sorry for what I did."

Rocky chuckled a little. "Hey, don't sweat it! It's not like that was my first time anyway. Remember, Billy did that once."

Evanthe sighed, the slight joy draining from her. "But I stole your Power Coin too. You could've died."

"The thing is," the Red Ranger told her. "I didn't. And you're back. That's all that matters now."

Evanthe sighed as she glanced over at Billy. "And I. .," she chuckled briefly. "I tried to seduce my own husband!"

"The thing is I knew who you were then," he told her. "But it still wasn't you."

Evanthe nodded. "I wish they'd just leave us all alone," the stiffness to her shoulders and tightness around her eyes told both Elissa and Billy that Evanthe was a lot more nervous than she was letting on to be. Nervous, upset, and on edge.

That showed when she almost jumped out of her skin when Alpha 'ay-yi-yi'd! "Serpenterra has just left the moon and is leaving the solar system!" he had to repeat it when no one believed him!

Evanthe shook her head. "You don't think they're quitting do you?"

"Doesn't sound like them."

Aisha agreed with Tommy. "They're probably plotting something."

RANGERS, BE ON YOUR GUARD, BUT YOU HAVE ALL DESERVED A VACATION. GO AND HEAL AND REST. ALPHA AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE MINUTE THAT RITA AND ZEDD RETURN.

Evanthe nodded. "Let's go." Billy smiled as he put a loving arm around her, and the two of them teleported out, followed by everyone except Adam and Elissa. The Rose Ranger glanced at her husband.

Time to talk, and time to heal.

No matter what they're looking for, they're giving us the time to do that, at least.

Let's go. I have a bruise to treat.

Come on.

And they left.