A/N: I am going to say this once and only once. Any similarity in this theme to the Twilight Saga and its idea of vampires is purely coincidental. So, do not think me a copycat; this is how I see vampires.

A/N #2: First off, sorry that this is so late; I got a new job and work really long hours, so I'm exhausted when I get home. Secondly, I've been trying to work on my list of other stories, but real life's been a bitch. Summarized, sorry about the long wait for the update; enjoy this long-awaited chapter!

"…": characters talking to each other

'…': characters talking to themselves

(…): extra facts about something in the story

(Takes place during "Dark Wish III")

Theme 54: Worst-Case Scenario

Alley off Main Street, March 24, 2007, 10:30 am – Briarwood, CA, USA

The world was all black, white and shades of gray, and yet, blood continued to remain red. The Rangers, after having been ousted from the Tribunal of Magic's domain had found themselves in the middle of a battle between Necrolai and some young gang members, with the Queen of the Vampires winning the spat. Blood was spattered on the ground, its bright red color disconcerting in a world where all other color had vanished.

"This sucks," Chip muttered to no one in particular, hiding behind a dumpster. He took a banana peel and shrugged, throwing it onto the street, hoping against hope that Necrolai would slip on it and get a concussion so they could steal Jenji back and return the world to normal.

"Shut up!" Vida hissed eyes narrowed. "Don't make it worse than it is already!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" came a honey-sweet voice and the now powerless Rangers glanced up in horror. Necrolai smirked at them, a vicious gleam in her eyes.

"Necrolai!" Nick spat eyes flaring. He automatically swept his arm from the left to the right side only to scowl angrily when the wave of fire didn't materialize. The Queen laughed.

"My, my. How quaint and ...amusing. Poor little Red Ranger has no magic," Necrolai taunted wagging a finger as if Nick was a toddler being scolded. "In fact, I see five poor, poor pitiful Rangers, with no magic to be found anywhere!" Necrolai cackled sending chills down the spines of the five Rangers.

"We'll get our magic back and beat you!" Vida declared stepping forward. However, when Necrolai turned her gaze to her, Vida felt nervous, almost as if bats or butterflies were flying around in her stomach.

"Well, if isn't little Miss Vampire," Necrolai stated walking towards the Sprite. Running a nailed finger down Vida's face, she leered. "How nice of you to return to me."

"She'd never do that!" Xander declared moving faster than the others had ever seen him and placing Vida behind him in a bid to try to protect her.

Necrolai merely cackled. "I appreciate the humor, boy, but I'm afraid that you're too late."

Before Xander could retort he felt something hit him on the head. Stumbling forward, he turned around and he hissed. "V." Vida's eyes had turned bright red and a menacing grin was on her face. White fangs glinted in the dim sunlight that was able to filter through the gray clouds. Madison gasped while Chip and Nick stared on in shock, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

"Vida, don't do this! You're not dark, you're not evil!" Xander grabbed Vida's shoulders, shaking her to try to snap her out of the trance that Necrolai had placed her into. However, as his hands touched her shoulders he screamed in pain as Vida raked her claws across his side, bright flecks of red blood flying everywhere. Xander fell to his knees in pain, looking up through increasingly blurry eyes as Vida licked the blood off her fingers, smirking.

"Such a nice taste," Vida declared eyes looking at Xander hungrily. She then looked at Necrolai and asked, "May I have another taste, my Mistress?" Necrolai looked thoughtful but only for a second.

"Very well." She waved a clawed hand absently. "Do what you will with him." The Queen of the Vampires turned and began walking back out of the alleyway. "Do come find me when you are finished with him." A cackle was her token as the Queen leapt into the air to examine another part of the city and search for survivors to eliminate.

"V, don't," Xander pleaded eyes wide. By now, Madison, Chip and Nick had run over and were trying to stave the bleeding. Madison's jacket was pressed against the Green Ranger's side in an effort to prevent more blood loss. However, the material was quickly being stained dark red.

"My Mistress tells me to dispose of you," Vida stated after a moment crouching down so that she was eye level with the four Rangers. "However, I have another idea." With these words, she ran a nail down her forearm, drawing blood. This blood, however, was tinted blue and so, when mixed with the red became a shade of purple. With the faintest of frowns, Vida took her own blood and, moving slowly (but gently) pushed Madison out of the way. Drawing aside the jacket, she dabbed her blood into Xander's wound, the gashes sizzling and closing before the shocked Rangers' eyes. Chip chanced a glance at Vida's forearm and gulped upon realizing that it had already closed.

Standing, Vida's now pale red eyes regarded the fallen Green Ranger and calmly said, "My blood has healed your wounds and saved your life, Green one, but in return for my generosity, you will feel the need to consume some kind of blood at every Full Moon from now on." She turned to go but paused when a hand landed on her arm.

"Vida, please. Don't go!" Madison pleaded tears falling down her face. It was killing her that her twin, with whom she had shared everything, was leaving her. If they defeated Necrolai, would that return Vida to her senses? Was this a permanent good-bye? Madison didn't want to know; she just wanted her sister back.

"Vida, you're the Pink Ranger. You can't leave us," Nick pointed out as he and Chip helped a pale Xander to his feet.

Vida scoffed throwing her tinted hair to the side with an errant flick of her fingers. "I was the Pink Ranger at one time, but now, I am just plain Vida, servant to the great Necrolai." She faced away from the Rangers for a moment before turning around fully. Eyes searching the four sets that were looking at her, she added, "For the past and the times I shared with you, I am sparing your lives when it was my right as victor in battle to claim yours." She directed this last part to Xander, who still appeared weak. Her look softened. "If the spirits allow it, and if my Mistress permits it, I may one day return to you. Until then," she quickly hugged Nick and Chip, let Madison wrap her in a bone-crushing hug for about five minutes, listening with a blank expression to the Mermaid's promises that they'd figure out a way to rescue her and then paused in front of Xander, and, tilting her head said, "I bid you a fond farewell." She gently and softly kissed the Minotaur, her fang subtly poking his lips to taste his blood, the blood of her supposed mate once more.

With that, Vida spun around and walked out of the alleyway, leaving behind four shocked and powerless Rangers, who would go on to figure out a way to regain their magical and Ranger powers. However, when all was said and done, it was with a heavy heart that the four warriors realized that Vida was never going to come back to them.