Rue dug in as two sets of arms began to drag her away from the body. She fought them both but it was of little use. They were talking to her but it was like she was thrown down a well and could only hear the muffled sounds of those above.

"I got her. Go check on Jujube. That was a nasty blow he took," she recognized that voice, it was Doc.

"Give her this, it will help," said the second voice, not one she recognized. Some sort of tincture was being forced down her throat. Nasty tasting stuff and the second it past her lips her head cleared.

"Rue!" Doc could see the lights come back on.

"Doc, Billy?! Jujube had...and then..." 

Doc was shaking his head at her. "Think of what you had seen Rue. Why did you scream?"

"Billy was shot but the bullets... they ripped through him. He reached for me and you pulled me away..." Rue's hand touched her head it felt like it wanted to explode. "No, wait, it ..."

Rue scrambled to her feet and walked slowly over to where Jujube, the body and the stranger was. She almost did not dare but she knew she must.

Jujube had been knocked out but otherwise seem unharmed. The stranger was dressed all in black from his Stetson to his boots. He looked up at her. Her eyes then drifted to the body, Billy's body only it wasn't Billy's at all. Some complete outsider lay in his place.

She fell to her knees and the stranger's look was one of sympathy. "Whatever you thought you saw... it was all an illusion."

Rue's face contorted, her brows furrowed, "But it was so..."

"Real? I know. That's how they get you," the stranger said speaking softly, he could tell her nerves were raw and wanted her to absorb what was going on slowly.

"Is he?"

"Dead? Yes, he won't be getting up after what I blasted him with."

"And you are?"

"My apologies, the name is Van Helsing," the stranger removed his hat and he held out his hand to her. When she didn't take it, he pulled it back. "I am one of the good guys you know, Shaman of the West."

"I'll make that decision for myself thank you and the name is Ruechari." Looking over Jujube she asked, "How is he?"

"He'll be right as rain in no time. Just took a nasty blow. Vampiric strength is no joke."

"How is that you know so much about Vampires Mr. Van Helsing? And what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"He's a Vampire Hunter," Doc said with disgust.

"Only those that go rogue, don't go making me sound like I'm some cold blooded killer," Van Helsing stated, blandly.

"Whatever, allows you to sleep at night," Doc muttered, he looked at the body. "I know this vampire. He is one of Drake's and rather powerful.

"Drake's?" Ruechari asked. She stood and moved away from the body to move over to Jujube. She called upon her powers and Van Helsing, stared in fascination as he'd seen that flicker of blue light in her eyes and watched as she started to heal Jujube.

"Drake sired him. So, he belongs to him," Doc explained.

"What did he hope to accomplish?" Ruechari asked and both men looked at one another and then at her. "What?"

"Only you can tell us that, Rue? What did you see?"

She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to say, it was too personal.

"You mentioned Billy," Doc pressed.

"Yes," Ruechari said, but both men realized they weren't going to get more.

"This someone you know?" Van Helsing asked.

"Her lover. He's back in Busted Gulch," Doc answered callously.

Ruechari's head shot-up. "You know nothing of me, Doc and I would take care if I was you what words you chose to say. He is not my lover?"

"But you do love him," Van Helsing said, recalling the intimate seen he'd stumbled upon before the Native shot the Vampire with an arrow. Thinking of the arrows he pulled one out of Jujube's quiver.

"You must be joking! These aren't even silver tipped. Was he trying to get himself killed?" Van Helsing asked in disbelief as he held up the arrow and examined the hornstone tip.

Jujube finally came to, and couldn't be happier looking into the eyes of Rue. She smiled back at him. "Welcome back."

"You're...?"

"Unharmed, thanks to you," Ruechari said to him.

"Thank to him?!" Van Helsing scoffed. "He didn't even make a dent and is lucky to be alive."

Jujube sat up and looked at the stranger. Pointed but Ruechari said, "I'll explain later."

"Seriously mate, if you want to do damage to these things your weapons need a serious upgrade." Van Helsing gave a slow whistle and his horse came out of the brush to meet him. He flipped up the flap to his saddlebag and threw a batch of arrows beside Jujube. He took the others out of Jujube's quiver and snapped them in two over his knee.

Jujube leapt up. "What do you think you're doing?"

Van Helsing stopped him in his tracks by holding up a tomahawk. Van Helsing smirked and then flipped the handle around and handed it to Jujube. "Solid silver. It does the most damage, when dealing with his kind," Van Helsing said motioning to the body lying on the desert floor.

"Not to shabby on his kind, either," Van Helsing said, with a down right wicked grin and pointing over to Doc. "Those arrows...silver tips."

"Watch it, Helsing our truce is shaky at best," Doc growled.

Van Helsing held his hands up in mock surrender. "Just trying to educate the boy."

"Boy?" Jujube had about all the insults he was willing to take.

"Rein it in, the lot of you! I have no time for your egos. How did Drake get into my mind? How did he know how to play me?"

Van Helsing realized she was looking to him to fill in the blanks, and he gladly done so. "I've come from Crimsondale. If that's where you were all headed I would suggest you skip it. There are a few still loyal to the Queen but they have had to go into hiding. Drake owns that town now."

Doc swore and stormed off.

"As pleasant as ever I see," Van Helsing said motioning to Doc.

"You obviously know one another. He said you're a hunter."

"I am a guardian, like you Ruechari. My orders come to me when I am needed most and I respond. Some are killed in the process."

"So, you are a hired assassin."

"I don't think you heard me properly. My orders like yours come from a higher place. Some call me a killer, some the angel of death, or the right hand of God but whatever your belief, I too do as I must to keep the balance between good and evil."

Ruechari tried to absorb this. "So, what's HIS story?" Ruechari said pointing to the dead vampire.

"Doc is right. He belongs to Drake, one of his coven. A very powerful, emotional vampire, named Daegen. Drake ordered him to find you, turn you if he got the opportunity, or to bring you back to him if he did not."

"Emotional Vampire? Something tells me you don't mean he has a flair for the dramatic."

"No, Vampires feed off the life essences of us humans. Be it blood, emotions, or spirit. Daegen entered your mind, found what you are most passionate about and used it against you. He feeds off of those emotions they make him stronger."

"Why turn me? Is that even possible?" She knew her Shamanistic powers gave her certain protections but she did not know exactly what.

"Don't know. There's never been a record of a Shaman being turned but I can't say if that's because it can't be done, never been tried or just bad record keeping."

"What does Drake stand to gain by turning me?"

"Control. Something that he seems desperate for. And the most powerful woman in the West on his arm."

"His arm? You mean he wishes for me to be his?"

"Yes, body, mind and soul. He wants you for his bride. Most likely believing you two would be quite the power couple and expanding out of the west then easier for him to achieve."

Ruechari shivered at the thought. He almost had her. She went to the vampire willingly. Oh so willingly. "How do I protect myself from further chances of invasion? You got something in that black bag for me?"

Van Helsing chuckled, "I wish it were that easy. No, I don't, but there is one who can help you and I will take you to him."

"We are running out of options, out of time. I don't know if I can schedule in a field trip."

"It will be worth your while. Geronimo may just have some of the answers you seek."

Geronimo. "Fine, take us to him. I assume you do know where his is?"

"He's not hard to find, Ruechari. You just have to follow the Wild Bill Show signs."

"Doc! Jujube! Saddle up! We have our next way point."

Jujube came to her with his horse and SixStar in hand. "Um... Rue. I looked everywhere. But Doc... he's gone."