Disclaimer- I do not own anyone.

Last time- Cael, Prince of the Vampires, was awaken from his five hundred year sleep, because of Zordon. Along with his fellow vampires, Talon and Tynan, they began a search to find Cael a queen. Yet, there choice is a very vulnerable, Ashley Hammond. With out Andros around will Ashley fall victim to the vampire prince?

Never what it seems to be

Chapter 2- Meetings

Cael and his two followers returned to there lair in the abandoned house deep in Angel Grove woods. They headed down into the sub basement. When they entered the torches automatically lit up. Cael walked to the far end of the room where his bed, a coffin, was lying. With a wave of his hand, the casket opened. He glanced over at Talon and Tynan who were heading for their own caskets, which were placed on opposite sides of the room of each other. "Sun rise will be soon, lucky we made it, Tynan." Talon said through gritted teeth. Tynan smirked, showing off his sharp fangs as he did. "I needed a quick feed my dear sweet Talon." He joked. "It has been so long since I tasted the fresh blood of a human female." Talon scoffed and stared over at the body that was lying on the floor from earlier. "We drained these pathetic fools of their life and you had to stop for a quick feed? You pig." Talon said opening her coffin.

"Silence the both of you." Cael said rather annoyed. "You bicker as if you are married. I need my rest for my little date tonight with… Ashley." He licked his lips with delight. Talon let out a small giggle. "Yeah who would have thought she was a power ranger?" The blond vampire said. The brown haired vampire arched an eyebrow. "Hmm you sure you want her as your queen Cael? If she finds out what we are she will most likely try and seal us like Zordon did."

The dark haired master vampire only smiled. Talon and Tynan noticed this and wondered how he could be so calm; then again, he was with Ashley at the coffee shop, not them. "Believe me she will come to me easily." He then stepped into his coffin and lied down. As his eyes closed the lid of his coffin closed. Talon and Tynan looked at each other and then they too went inside their respective coffins.

That morning Ashley awoke to the sound of someone at her bedroom door. She flicked on the lamp on her nightstand and looked at the clock. It read 10:02. "Come in." Ashley called to whoever was outside. Her head fell back onto her pillow as she saw Karone and Cassie enter. "Ashley, hurry and get up!" Karone said with a smile on her face, "Hurry!" Ashley pulled the cover over her head and let out a groan. "I'm still tired." She murmured under her covers. "Andros is on the main screen and he's waiting for you!" Cassie said with an excited grin. The yellow space ranger threw her covers off her and bolted out of her bed.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER!" she said bounding from her room and down the hall to the bridge. Once she got there, she saw the male rangers speaking to Andros on the front screen. Her eyes lit up as she approached them. "Andros!" Ashley said happily, catching the red astro ranger's attention. He smiled, his chocolate eyes turning toward her.

"Hey Ash," he greeted her. "How are you?" She smiled, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. "I'm fine, just really sleepy." She said. Zhane, TJ and Carlos snickered, turning their faces away from Ashley. The yellow ranger looked at them, wondering what they were laughing at. Yet she did not care now, Andros was in contact. "How are you?" she asked. "Are you still coming home on the 19th?" she asked. Andros nodded. "Yeah it'll be later in the afternoon but I will be there." A smile crept along the yellow rangers face. She could not wait until that day when she would see Andros again. Being apart from him was so hard.

"I miss you." She said with tears beginning to form. "I miss you too." He replied. The two talked for nearly five minutes, but as they did, Ashley noticed that her friends were still snickering. She noticed Andros was smiling as well but of course, he would, he was happy to see her, right. After a few more minutes, Andros let out a sigh, looked away for a moment, and spoke to someone who was off to the side.

"Well I have to be going, I want to stay on schedule." He said. Ashley's smile fell; she wanted him to talk to her longer. "Good bye." Ashley looked long at him and then said a sad goodbye, much like the one she told him when he first left. When he was gone, the sounds of laughter busting out of her three friends filled the bridge. "What are you laughing at?" she asked obviously clueless. Carlos walked over to her and snickered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nice PJS Ash." He said. Ashley looked down and noticed she was still in her pajamas, barefoot, and probably looked bad. Turning red, she fled from the room just as Karone and Cassie entered.

Once back in her room Ashley showered and got into her uniform, the yellow shirt, gray pants, gray jacket, and boots. She combed her hair, tying it back in low pigtails. As she was finishing getting ready, her thoughts about Andros diminished as she remembered last night. Cael, a mysterious man appeared as if out of thin air, saved her life. After saving her, she wanted to return to the ship but somehow she could not refuse his offer to go to the coffee shop. She had paid for his drink as a small way to thank him.

During the time in the coffee shop, she only intended on being a half hour tops, but she ended up staying two hours. She did not realize how the time flew by but she felt safe with her new friend. Several times, she would get lost in his dark eyes, as if they were hypnotizing her to stay longer. They had talked about simple things like her friends and family. When she finally realized how late it was she nearly flipped. Cael felt bad but wanted to meet Ashley again, for a meal. At first, Ashley was apprehensive but then gave in when she looked into his eyes. At first, she said for lunch but Cael insisted on dinner.

Cutting into her thoughts was the sound of her communicator going off. "Yeah," Ashley asked. "Hey Ash we need you down in the engine room for maintenance" came the voice of the blue Astro ranger. "Right, I'll be right there." She replied.

After sunset Cael, Tynan, and Talon arose from their slumber. "I need a quick drink." Talon said stepping out of her casket. Tynan smirked as he walked across the distance to the center of the room. "Do we have time for a snack Cael or is your date with the ranger going to cut in?" he said bitterly. Cael ignored him and then closed his eyes. The clothes on him changed into a black jeans and a black sweater. His long hair began to braid itself. "Believe me Tynan when she becomes my queen you will be bowing to her." Cael said staring into the eyes of the brown haired vampire. Talon snickered and then tapped her claws on one of the pillars. "What if her friends intervene? I'm sure the people she was with last night are also power rangers." She crossed her arms. "Possibly, if they do interfere I suggest you take care of them, I have no time to deal with them." He then swept past them and headed for the door, which opened as he neared it. He then headed up the stone steps to the basement, and then the first floor of the house.

Talon and Tynan followed, closing the subbasement door behind them. Once on the main floor the two watched as there master looked at the ceiling. Several bats had made there nests in this house along with other creatures. They watched as their master closed his eyes and then his body began to transform. It shrunk and turned completely black. Next, it rose into the air and two wings appeared. "A bat," Talon said unimpressed. After a moment, he flew off into the night, for his date.

After doing her daily work routine on the ship Ashley hurried to her room to shower and change for her meeting with Cael. She tied her hair up quickly in a claw and then dressed in a simple yellow shirt and tight jeans. Before leaving, she slipped on her sandals and headed out the door when she realized she left her morpher. She ran back into the room and found it lying under her uniform. She placed it on her wrist and then noticed her clock was reading 8:03.

Crap, I am going to be late. She thought hurrying out the door.

She headed down the halls in a hurry hoping none of her friends would show up and ask where she was going. She did want to tell them; she just did not want them to get the wrong idea about her and Cael. He was her new friend, and she owed him for saving her life. She quickly turned down a hall heading for the jump tubes. Her feet moved quickly and quietly across the grey carpet of the ship. When she reached the jump tube room, she sighed with relief.

"Made it." She said aloud, but she spoke to soon. "Where are you going?" said a voice from behind. The yellow ranger winced and looked over her shoulder to see the Silver Ranger.

"Out," she replied simply.

"Out where," Zhane asked.

"With a friend we are going to dinner."

"What her name?"

"… It's a guy his name is Cael."

"A guy… you are not cheating on Andros, are you?" he said becoming suspicious.

"No, you got it all wrong." She insisted. She let out a sigh and then decided to tell him the truth.

"Listen Zhane, last night at the club I was feeling a bit sick and I was trying to tell you guys I was going to get some air but I could not find you in the crowed. When I got outside, I was thinking about going back to the ship and try contacting you later when someone jumped me. He was going to beat me up and I dropped my morpher. Then all of a sudden, this person, Cael, appeared and saved me. If it wasn't for him, I could have been really hurt. Afterward he took me to a coffee shop because I was really shaken up and we talked for two hours and I lost all track of time. When I was about to leave he asked me to dinner and well I owed him one so I decided to go. I did not want to tell you guys because I didn't want all of you to freak out and think I can't take care of myself."

"You are okay right?" Zhane asked sincerely worried. She nodded and Zhane let out a sigh of relief. "You should have been more careful." He said reaching out and hugging his friend. She nodded and then placed hand on her top of her head. "I have to get going or I'll be late." She replied. Zhane held placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful… if anything happens, contact us and we will be down in seconds." Ashley nodded and stuck out her tongue. She headed for the jump tube, Zhane still watching her, hoping she was okay. "Don't worry, I faced a bunch of monsters sent by Divatox and Dark Specter." She gave him a reassuring smile and then jumped down the tube, heading for earth.

Zhane watched her go, yet he was still a bit worried for his best friend's girlfriend. He waited for a few minutes and then he jumped down the tube after her.

Ashley landed on Earth in a secluded area. She checked to make sure no one was around and headed toward the restaurant she were to meet Cael. Hurrying down the sidewalk, she saw the restaurant in view, and standing outside looking cool and collective was her black haired savior. She rushed over to him, and he instantly caught her in his view. He gave her a warm smile, his perfect white teeth showing. "Sorry I am so late." She insisted. "I was fixing the…" she trailed off realizing she almost blown her cover as a ranger. "I was fixing my car." Cael smiled and then said, "You are right on time, Ashley." He then ushered her into the restaurant.

As the two entered the restaurant, a silver light shot down from the sky and landed in a nearby ally. Zhane looked around, making sure no one saw him. When he was done, he straitened his clothes and then looked at his communicator/morpher. "DECA," he called the communicator. "Where is Ashley's location?" A second later, the ship responded to the silver ranger, giving the precise location.

Zhane headed for the place and saw a large window. He peered inside looking for the yellow ranger. He found her sitting at a table across from Cael. Zhane noted how pale he looked and, how wearing all black, made him look like a ghost. "Weird," he said under his breath. He continued to watch wanting to be sure his friend was okay.

Inside the restaurant Ashley and Cael were enjoying a casual conversation. Ashley nibbled on the bread that the waiter had brought them and would occasionally sip her glass of ice water. "So Ashley, tell me more about your friends." Cael said. "Oh they are really nice. Cassie and I are like best friends. She is a sweet person. Then there is TJ he is a good leader and cool person. He is very calm and does not overreact. Oh, Carlos is kind of like that but he is a good person. He worries for all of us. Then there is Karone she and her boyfriend Zhane are cool. They really have something special between them. Then there is Andros. He used to be cold but now he has opened up. He had been through so much in his life that I can see why. He is such a sweet, kind, gentle, loving person."

Cael looked at her as she drifted off into her own world thinking of Andros. After a few seconds, the yellow ranger snapped out of her daze as she was stirring the water with straw. "Oh sorry." She said slightly embarrassed. Cael let out a small laugh as he looked into her brown eyes. Locking her eyes with him he said, "You like Andros do you not? Is he your boyfriend?" Ashley stared into his eyes lost once again. "Y-yes." She said rather confused about what she was saying. She finally was able to break her gaze and blink a few times, feeling awkward.

Cael smiled and watched as the waiter had placed down the food, which caused him to break the gaze he had on Ashley. "What about your friends?" she asked. "I think you'll like them Ashley. I can see you getting along with them pretty well." He grinned. Ashley started on her meal, which was spaghetti and meatballs. Cael had ordered the same but he did not even touch it. He watched Ashley slowly eat. "Maybe tomorrow you can meet them? Talon, you will like her, would love to have someone to go shopping with. You said you liked shopping did you not?' The yellow Astro ranger nodded and looked up. "Yeah I love shopping with Cassie and Karone. Sometimes she drags Zhane with us. He is such a good sport but sometimes he worries too much. He was scared of letting me leave the sh- my house, alone."

Nice job just tell him you are a power ranger. She thought, mentally slapping herself.

"Well I guess he must really care for you. Your boyfriend does not seem to mind." Ashley did not notice how he accented the boyfriend part. "Andros is out on business, did I tell you?" she said grabbing a breadstick. Cael shrugged and Ashley continued. "Anyway I was surprised Zhane didn't follow me." She let out a small laugh and took a bite out of her breadstick. Cael nodded and then turned his head to look out the window for a moment when he though he saw someone looking in.

Talon, Tynan, I believe I am being watched. He sent out the mental note to his followers. If he is, I want you to take care of him.

Tynan can take care of him. Talon responded telepathically. Like all vampires, they could communicate with one another telepathic. I would much rather go shopping since being stuck in a coffin for a thousand years I am not in fashion.

It will be done Lord Cael. Tynan replied simply.

Cael smiled and looked back at Ashley. He still did not touch his dinner, obviously because human food was not apart of his diet of human blood. Cael noted how beautiful her brown locks were, he licked his lower lip as he stared at her neck, wanting so much to claim her as his, but would have to wait, something he did not want to do.

Outside Zhane heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad he did not catch me." The silver ranger replied. "He doesn't seem out of the ordinary, maybe I was just overreacting." Sighing Zhane walked off from the place and toward the ally in which he first appeared. Once there he looked at his morpher, and was about to head back when someone grabbed his shoulder. Zhane was thrown strait into the wall. The silver astro ranger landed with a thump against some garbage cans. "Who the heck are you?" Zhane said getting up. He could not see the man's face but he was much bigger then Zhane.

The man stepped out of the shadows and to Zhane's surprise was no person at all but a monster. He was well over six foot, muscular with blood red eyes, white skin, bat like wings on its back, and long claws sticking out his fingers and toes. He was standing on the balls of his feet, his claws scratching at the ground, while a long tail swished behind him. "Oh crap!" Zhane said staring wide eyed. The monster charged the blonde-haired ranger but he was lucky enough to dodge him and shout out, "LET'S ROCKET!" In a flash, he transformed in the Silver Astro Ranger.

"A power ranger?" the monster laughed. "It'll take more then a puny ranger to defeat me!" He then once again charged at Zhane who took out his Silver Silverizer and began blasting the creature but it had no effect, to Zhane horror. The monster came down and slashed at Zhane who let out grown as flew back against a dumpster. "I need help." He said and then quickly called DECA to send a signal to the other rangers.

The alarm signaled as Alpha 6 called to the other rangers. "Hey Zhane is trouble and he needs your help! He is down on 5th avenue in an alley fighting some monster!" The robot said in worry as he watched the fight on the view screen. "We are on our way alpha." TJ responded. "Be careful rangers." Alpha said with genuine concern.

Once again, Zhane was thrown against the wall with the monster laughing at him. "You surrender ranger? I'll make your death quick and painless if you do." He laughed evilly. Slowly it was approaching Zhane, as if he was stalking him. "Prepare to die ranger!" he then lifted his claws to hit Zhane when from out of nowhere a blast hit the creature sending him to his knees.

Suddenly the Pink, Blue, and Black astro rangers surrounded Zhane. "You okay Zhane" Cassie asked checking on him as Carlos and TJ provided the cover. "Yeah, I'm fine," said Zhane. Slowly he got up and then TJ stepped forward with his Astro Ax in hand as well as his Astro blaster. "Listen you freak with wings, when you mess with one ranger you mess with all of them." The blue ranger said confidently. The monster snorted out a laugh. "Four rangers, I always expected there were more then four. No matter it will be easy to destroy all of you!" He began to charge at the rangers when Cassie stepped forward and shouted, "SATALITE STUNNER" sending a pink ray at the monster.

He stepped back stunned and hurt by the wave. Growling he jumped high in the air his wings beating wildly. Then with one quick movement, he sent his claws at each of the rangers. The sharp talons exploded sending the four rangers flying. "Cassie, fire your stunner again!" Carlos said. "It looked like it really knocked him!" The pink ranger nodded and then sent another wave at the beast, right after they all sent a blast from there Astro blasters. The monster growled in pain and retreated quickly flying away.

"Power down," said TJ. The four rangers went back to normal. Zhane though was clutching his side in pain. "Man where did that come from?" Carlos said making sure it was gone. "I don't know…" Zhane said grimacing. "Let's get back to the ship." The other three rangers nodded when Carlos wondered something. "Hey where's Ashley?"

"I had a nice time Cael." Ashley said as the two were walking down a sidewalk. "I'm glad we could be friends." Cael grinned, flashing his white teeth. "So did you consider my offer of meeting my friends?" he said looking into her eyes. Ashley stared long at him without saying a word. Then without thinking, she nodded in agreement. "Excellent." He replied simply while breaking his gaze from her. Ashley blinked a few times and then continued walking with Cael when she saw a shop, which was closed. The shop is fancy boutique that sold women's dresses and outfits. On the main window, display was a gorgeous black dress. It was strapless and hugged the curves of the dummy. The dress was long and velvet material with rhinestones designs on the bottom that looked like waves.

"Oh, that dress is beautiful." The yellow ranger said peaking inside. Cael nodded. "I think you would look good in black Ashley." He whispered. His hand reached up and found the nape of neck. Gently he rubbed it causing Ashley to freeze in place. "Really beautiful,"

After saying good-bye to Cael, Ashley returned to the Astro Mega Ship. She traveled down the halls quietly, hoping all her friends were fast asleep. As she was about to reach her room she saw a light coming from the infirmary. She could here the voices of her friends in concern. Carefully, she tiptoed to the door and listened in.

"That was so weird." TJ said. "Where did a monster like that come from?"

"Yeah, it was really strong too." Zhane groaned as Alpha fixed him up.

"Luckily you aren't severely hurt." Alpha said finishing up.

"My question is how come Ashley didn't show up." Carlos said leaning against the wall.

"I called her but she did not respond." Alpha responded to the question.

Outside Ashley let out a small gasp and looked at her communicator. I don't remember Alpha calling me, she thought. Did I not hear it? I was talking to Cael… and I don't remember hearing a beat at all. The yellow astro ranger stood there confused as she stared at her morpher.

Author note- Well this is the end of chapter 2. I am glad for the reviews they really inspire me to write. Anyway, this is an Andros/Ashley story but what is going to happen? Well, until the next chapter, thanks.