Ruechari moved the curtain and looked out into the night. Something was amiss. She could feel the shift. Things were no longer as they seem. To her the world was a much bigger place than this dusty, old town, struggling to rebuild.

Somehow, though Busted Gulch had become her home, the people here her family. Yet her world took in things unseen. Things that they would pretend do not exist, an eternal struggle over protecting the ever-fragile balance of light and dark, good and evil. 

Days like today she too desired to turn a blind eye, but can't. A star streaked across the night sky. She moved the curtain back into place. Her sense of dread began to build as she walked down the hall to the stairs. Lotta smiled and told her to have fun. Rue could do little more than nod in reply.

Tonight she should be feeling excited. Billy had asked to see her. She could tell he planned something big. But then she zeroed in on the disturbance. He was leaning against the wall to Hugh Bellow's place. The light from the blacksmith's fires that shown brightly through the window barely illuminated the hooded outline of the man lying in wait and she knew he was waiting for her.

How she knew was hard to explain? Maybe it was a Shaman thing or maybe just a healthy dose of paranoia. These days it became difficult for her to discern the difference.

Her skin crawled. "Oh, this is not good."

He started his approach.

She saw the night shine of a predator's eyes assessing her beneath his hood and her name was echoed on the wind.

"Good evening, Rue."

"It's been awhile, Doc."

"But not long enough," she wanted to add but didn't. The news he brings must be grave for she knew for him to show his face in this place could mean death. Although an age ago he was Busted Gulch's doctor only there was something the residents here didn't know.

Doc Vale was no ordinary man. He was what her people would call a Skinwalker, a wolf who wears a human form. Alpha of the Western wolf pack and intimately acquainted with Long Leg Liz, the Queen of the Vampires.

"I need your help."

Ruechari did not trust him. Him and his Queen had betrayed her. Killed Reaper forcing her hand and nearly costing her, her life.

"I'm off the clock."

Doc removed his hood and Ruechari suddenly understood. His face was deeply scarred and the wounds were new. He looked like hell. "Who did this to you?"

"The White Queen."

This made no sense. The two were inseparable, why would she turn on him?

"Doc you and she...?"

"I know what she means to me... what she still means to me. She needs your help, Ruechari. She's been forced under someone else's control. I fear for her life."

Rue wondered how one kills a true immortal but she figured if Doc was scared there must be a way. "Liz is queen. Who dares challenge her rule?"

"This is all my fault. I'm a fool."

Rue became annoyed with all the cryptic talk. "Explain or I'm done."

Doc hung his head in shame. "She is currently being held captive by... our son."

Rue knew there was no time to waste. It didn't take a Shaman to understand that a rogue vampire/werewolf, wanting to take control of Destiny, would lead to bad things. Still... she had one regret.

"Wait here. I will return."

She walked to the Bounty Hunter's Café wondering the entire time what she would say. Billy would not want to let her go, but she had too. This was what she was meant to do. She walked in and seen two bowls of AJ's famous Cantonese noodles, lit by candlelight. In the middle were two Red Velvet cupcakes, her favorite. He meant for this to be a special night.

She reached for the note addressed to her. Marshall Lorne had returned. Tex Mex was still a threat, it would seem he was not done with BG yet. Billy asked for her to wait. Rue sighed... with regret.

She flipped his note over and wrote one of her own.

"You ready?" Doc Vale asked obviously annoyed by the wait when she returned. To hell with him, she thought, she had to tell Billy she loved him who knows what she was walking into, or if she would return.

"I have horses we can use in the stable. Follow me." She saddled up Six Star and Butterfingers, her two fastest horses and handed off the reins.

"You know where were headed?" Ruechari asked.

"Yes, but we'll need a plan before we get there," Doc said, before hoisting himself into the saddle. 

"Rogue vamp. Werewolves. I have an idea where we can start." 

Without looking back she left BG. Hoping to return. Hoping to survive Destiny.