Immmidiatley, Serena whisked Jimena in her arms. "Take her," she whispered urgently to Vanessa. Gently and swiftly as a cloud, Vanessa held tightly to Jimena and allowed her molecules to expand. Soon they were no more than specks of dust gliding down the stairs, and the only noise was a faint whimper of fright as Jimena became invisible. Not even my homegirls would believe this, she thought to herself as she coasted past Collin, who was leafing through a surfer mag. His ears seemed alert and his eyes darted nervously across the paper, as if he sensed what was happening upstairs. Before she had a chance to call out to him, Vanessa caught a breeze and they flew out Serena's open kitchen window.

Upstairs, the three Goddesses were ready to attack. Their hair whipped dangerously around their shoulders and their moon amulets thrummed comfortingly around their necks.

A shadow slowly spilled in fro the open window and manifested itself on Serena's disheveled, clothes-covered bed. Her eyes widened a bit as she realized who it was.

"Stanton," she whispered. What was he doing here? Did it have to do with Jimena? Were the Goddesses in danger?"

iDon't worry/i, he gently eased into her mind. iWhere are the other two?/i Rifling through his thoughts, Serena could tell that he liked her outfit. She shivered in a combination of pleasure and fright. Their relationship was forbidden. But her resistance was weakening.

Catty broke the silence. "Okay Stanton, I don't care what you're doing to my girl here, you have ten seconds to explain yourself before you attack. You are on our turf now and I'll be damned if I don't try and get you out. I," she shot a warning glance at Serena, "am loyal to my cause." Stanton laughed slightly. Catty began to count, trying to calm her skaky nerves. Tianna held her hand as they began to build power.

"Where are Jimena and Vanessa?" he asked. He could have easily red the Goddess' minds, but he didn't feel like breaking Serena's newly established trust.

"You don't know?" Tianna asked, doubt sparkling in her green eyes. Stanton shook his head, but he was hardly believable. "I thought you were the Prince of Night," she quipped sarcastically.

"Jimena's not a Daughter any longer," Serena breathed sadly.

"Serena!" yelled Catty and Tianna in unison. Serena raised her arms in annoyance.

"Guys, it's no use. He already knows about Jimena. He's here for something else." She didn't need to read his mind to know that. Stanton put a comforting arm around her shoulder and drew Serena towards her. She tried to resist, but he was so alluring. The other goddesses shuddered and began to build power steadily, preparing to attack. Stanton whispered a warning across their minds. /i, he scolded. Their eyes burned. "When one daughter is gone, the power of the others is greatly weakened," he stated pointedly. Serena looked up at him. "It is the end," he said with a sad smile. "You have no hope of defeating the Atrox now."

"Of course we have hope! There is always hope!" yelled Tianna desperately. Serena stood in Stanton's arms, motionless.

"Your pain will end if you surrender to me," he offered. "I am the Prince of Night..."

"We know," snapped Catty. He ignored her.

"...and as such, I will protect you. Together we can reunite good and evil, allow them to coexist." His words touched a nerve with Serena, who had recently begun to accept her dark side. But even Serena did not consider this possibility. She would fight forever, no matter what odds were against her and her friends. She was a Goddess, a Daughter of the Moon.

"Get out of here!" Catty screeched. She lashed out with her power, but it did little to discourage Stanton. Tianna touched Catty's arm. "Let it be," she said softly. Catty narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"You should go," said Serena. She opened her mind to him and told him silently, iWe'll talk later. I will not surrender to you, but I will never leave you. Don't betray me with this talk. Don't even tempt me./i His eyes were clear and vaguely luminescent in the Los Angeles night. iI'm not trying to betray you, I want us to be together,/i he pleaded. She shook her head. Her moon amulet glowed and he touched it, out of spite for himself. What felt like cold metal to her burned his flesh. He laughed, bitter and hollow. She caught a glint of sorrow in his darkened face.

Suddenly, a sound from the yard snapped the girls to attention. Stanton dissolved into shadow and left as silently as he had come.

Vanessa floated breathlessly into the room. She panted and heaved, eyes wild and distressed. Catty grabbed her arm and tried to sit her down. She shook her off.

"What's wrong?" asked Serena. Her eyes shined.

"Jimena's gone,"