The morning air was fresh and clear. A slight chill still clung onto the last edges of the night, but the pale sun on the horizon promised a sweeping warmth that would soon brush it away. I clutched my leather jacket close around me, thankful that I'd managed to save it from the worst of the blood that had ruined the other clothes I'd worn to the funeral – I would not have been able to part with it. I would welcome the summer heat once it took hold of the day, but for now the cool air rose goose pimples on my skin and I shivered.

Unfortunately, I supposed I was going to have to get used to the cold now I was resigned to life on the surface; either that or move to the desert. No, there was no time for thinking like that. I would find out why this was happening to me, what I'd done so wrong to enrage the demons and turn them against me, and then come up with some way to fix it. I would see myself back in Hell, if it was the last thing I did.

My boots kicked up sprays of morning dew as I trudged my way through the plush verges that lined the narrow country lane. There weren't many pavements to speak of, not until you got closer to the more built up heart of the village at least, and I simply chose not to walk down the middle of the road. Besides, I rather liked watching the way the little crystalline droplets glittered in the sunlight. Small things to occupy small minds as the saying goes, and at that time I was happy to belittle myself with the saying; I'd spent much too long thinking of far too much, and I welcomed even the simplest of distractions. If I managed to find Frank then the thinking could start up again. Even the prospect of that made my head hurt.

I followed my feet down the lane, not caring much where they led me. Frank could be anywhere and, as desperate as I was to discover what information he held, the further I walked the more I lost my sense of urgency. I relished the delicate quiet of the world, easy and peaceful – so unlike the uncomfortable silence Jesse and I had travelled in, both too afraid to break its fragile surface – it would be nice to get lost for a while. To not have to think, to just forget everything that troubled me, even if it was only for a short while.

What was I going to say to him? To either of them? So much for not thinking Rayne, you're going to drive yourself insane if you don't stop obsessing about this. But no matter how many times I told myself that, I couldn't forget the fact that I was facing two very serious, potentially life changing conversations to be had within a very short space of time. I needed to handle each one of them just right or I'd end up creating more problems for myself. This certainly made me appreciate the days when things were simple, when I only had myself to think about. It might have been a lonely life, but it was easy and uncomplicated.

I knew Frank would want something in return for what he knew, and I had a feeling he was going to be looking for more than just the freedom to wreak havoc on the surface this time. That demon understood only too well the concept of supply and demand, so the prospects of what he might ask me for ran through my head and rose a sick feeling in my throat. Whatever it would be I could be certain I wouldn't like it much, but I would have to hear him out and very possibly give him whatever he wanted. Everything depended on finding out why my own kind had turned on me.

Speaking with Jesse would be a different matter altogether; although I did feel it wouldn't be any less impactive on my future – not really. Like it or not, we needed each other now. He'd become a murderer at my behest and would live in danger of discovery every day. If my job had worked out the way I'd anticipated, I'd have left Jesse alone with his guilt and I don't doubt that he would have eventually turned himself in; or else done something much more permanent about it. But in reality, he would never been a legitimate candidate for corruption, if they hadn't been out to get me he would have been safe from all of this mess.

I needed to make him understand what was happening, why things were turning out this way, and that somehow I was going to fix it all. But before I could do any of that for him, I needed Frank.

A frown of concentration, determination creasing my brow, I looked back up; taking in for the first time where I had managed to wander to. Not to mention wondering for the first time where might be the best place to start looking for the homeless drunk – that was supposing his wife hadn't yet forgiven him and allowed him back home, mores the pity on her if she had. I found I'd walked the only few streets in the village I'd actually ventured down more than once, purely following the instinct of where my feet wanted to lead, and I found myself facing the pub.

It was such a familiar sight, the place I'd called 'home' for the longest time I'd ever spent on the surface in one, unbroken stretch. A place to work, where I could interact with people, and the first place I'd found myself exiled from; unwelcome to return. I should have taken more stock from that experience, seen it as a foreshadowing of bigger, much more dramatic things to come. Like being exiled from Hell, the only place I had ever truly called home.

I felt a prickling in my eyes, the almost painful rush of tears as they threatened to fall. A sweeping wave of resentment washed over me, for that pub and particularly towards the landlady Frances. She might not have been responsible for my exile from Hell, but it sure would feel nice to lay the blame on someone tangible. How good would it have felt to have drawn that blade across her throat, just as I had done with Maura? Watch as her blood spilled onto the floor, feel as her life shuddered from her body. Maura's death had given the demon in me a taste for blood, and killing Frances would be incredibly satisfying.

But that wasn't what I was there for. I might wish to kill Frances, the very idea may even plague my dreams at night, making sleep feel that little bit more inviting. But I couldn't allow myself to act upon that blood lust. The first time had been a necessity, to do this would be pure self-indulgence; a distraction from what was really important, and one I could ill afford at that time. Besides, it would be yet another body tied to me, another death that could bring suspicion down upon Jesse, and more than anything I couldn't lose him in that mire.

I stopped my glowering at the white washed building as it shone in the early morning sunlight as I noticed movement coming through its dark, heavy door. Alan made his way out and across the car park, a large ladder carried under his arm. He stopped just in front of the low brick wall that separated the car park from the pavement, extended the ladder, then leaned it against the dark green, wooden pole from which hung the classic painted sign advertising the pub's name. As he started to climb something caused me to hurry across the road.

“Shouldn't you have someone hold that for you?” I asked once I was in earshot. I hoped he'd noticed me coming, the last thing I wanted to do was make him jump and send him tumbling to the concrete. What was it with me and having sympathy for these long suffering husbands of some crazy bitches.

“Heather. It's been a while since you've been around here,” he said, brightly. Maybe Frances hadn't relayed to him the truth about what made me leave my job at their pub, a welcome thought at least. “You know, you've got a point there. Would you mind, if you've got a minute? Just gotta get this old sign down. Frances is getting some new ones painted, brighten the old place up a bit.”

I placed myself at the bottom of the ladder and held it steady as Alan continued to climb. It was difficult to keep my mind from wandering as I watched him reached the top. I kept seeing patio tiles stained dark with blood. The stricken look on Jesse's face as he took in the scene of his sister's death. The body was long gone, but blood never lies.

“So where is Frances? Why isn't she out here helping you?” Making sure you don't plummet to your death? I asked mainly to distract my mind, to stop that image from flashing before my eyes. This blood fixation would not work out well.

“Still asleep I expect, that's where I left her. She's been working the late shift since you left.” Alan had pulled a screwdriver from the pocket of his jeans and started on undoing the hinges that let the sign swing in the wind.

His news surprised me. Even before I'd come to work there, Alan had always been the one to work the late shift and lock up.

“Oh right. How's she enjoying that?” I wasn't sure if he'd understand the sarcasm in my voice.

Despite all of her character flaws and her prickly nature that was obvious to most anyone who ever encountered her, Alan loved his wife very dearly. And she adored him. I figured they must have been meant for each other in some fateful kind of way, and luckily at that; I couldn't imagine anyone else who would want to have her.

“Ahh, not so much if I'm honest.” Alan undid the final screw then began the tricky descent of the ladder as he clutched the heavy wooden sign in one hand; using the free one to steady his progress down the rungs. Once he was low enough I took the sign from his grasp and leant it against the wall.

“Thanks.” He breathed, a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead – was it from the exertion, or the rush of fear that he might fall? “That's why I'm up getting this done now, one less thing she can complain about. You should come back to work Heather, I'm sure she'd appreciate the help, and I know I'd like the peace.” He chuckled at his own words, a deep hearty sound that spoke of Alan's good nature. But even though he laughed at his own words, I could tell he was deadly serious about their sentiment.

“Oh, I don't know about that. You know how she likes to be consulted about things like that.”

Consulted? More like control with as tight a leash as possible. I couldn't think of anything that Frances might find more horrifying than seeing me back working behind her bar. Well, perhaps if she could see how I was picturing her in my head.

“Besides, I can't really. Life has got rather full and complicated right now.” I went on before I somehow talked myself into the idea of taking Alan up on his offer, just to see the look on his wife's face.

“Right, your family or something wasn't it? Inherited some property, you run into some troubles?”

Was that the story I had given them? It felt like so long ago I'd forgotten exactly what cover story I'd used to explain away this Heather character's presence in the village. It had taken everything I had not to correct him when he'd called me by that name, it had been so automatic to correct Jesse – who was going to take much longer than a day to get used to the change. But it was a sad thought all the same, no one else could know the truth, I wasn't going to be able to let go of Heather entirely, perhaps not ever.

“Ah yeah, you could say that. There are certainly some problems, but I'm working on them, or at least I should be. Speaking of which, have you seen Frank around lately by any chance?”

Alan frowned, no doubt wondering what Frank could have to do with my 'families problems'. If only he knew.

“Ah yeah. He's been in here much like usual. His wife still hasn't let him come home though, changed the locks and everything by all accounts. I think he said something the other night 'bout kipping out by the green, one of those old benches down there probably.”

I should have known he'd pick that spot. The same place he'd collared me that night when everything had first blown up.

“Least he's had the weather for it I s'pose,” Alan continued, “I keep telling Frances we should stop serving him, give him the chance to patch his life up, but she won't hear it. Get too much money out of the man to turn him away. You watch out for him though, something funny about that one.”

“Oh I will, don't worry. Thanks Alan, I appreciate it.”

I waved at him as I made my way back across the road, almost heading back the way I'd come, towards Jesse's house but for one different turning. One road further on and I would find my way back to the village green again and, hopefully, find Frank at the same time.

“And you think about my offer. Job's yours any time you want it back.”

I couldn't help the grin that stretched my lips as I looked back and waved at Alan once again. The offer wasn't there, Frances would rather die than have me back, but it sure was amusing just to picture it.