Eight weeks, eight frigging weeks it took Dominic to recover enough to finally be left alone. Gave me time to recuperate though, and for Mona to cast her voodoo magic to re-sanctify the church, and no demon would ever be able to get her to remove it. Mona, the darling, came round everyday for those eight weeks to check on Dom and me, even prepared us some great food to make sure we didn't starve, which would have happened if the cooking had been left to me. On the final day Mona came round to see me off.

"You take good care now, sugar," she ordered while she wrapped her arms round me in a tight hug.

For a woman of only five foot two, she sure had some strength to her. I shook Dominic's hand and he pulled me to him in a friendly embrace, and whispered..."Thank you Lazarus."

Ten minutes later I was back in the driver's seat of my beat up old Mercedes and hitting the road at sixty.

About two weeks passed, and I hadn't received any calls from Dominic giving me any new hunts. I'd spent most of that time just driving, staying in a few towns overnight now and again. I was simply cruising the roads and enjoying the views.

It was a Sunday afternoon; the sun was beating down with a temperature approaching the hundred degrees. I pulled into a gas station with the intentions of firstly taking a leak, and secondly grabbing a coffee from the diner. I'd been driving hard and almost falling asleep at the wheel, so needed the coffee to wake me up a little. Having visited the bathroom, and performing the necessary, I strolled into the empty diner and sat myself down near the window.

I looked out to see nothing but prairie with a backdrop of far off mountains. The sky was a bright blue without being marred by a single cloud.

"What can I get ya hun?"

I looked round to see the waitress, a woman in her middle years with unkempt dark brown hair, black horn rim glasses, and smudged ruby red lipstick. She held a notepad in her hand as she chewed on the pencil impatiently.

"Huh? Oh, yeah...coffee, black no sugar."

"Anything to eat?" she asked in between scribbling my order on the pad and then tapping the pencil on her teeth.

"No, just the coffee."

She shrugged and walked over to the counter.

I returned my attention to the mountainous landscape. Maybe I'll head for the mountains, could do with some new scenery.

The waitress returned and slid the cup of coffee in front of me and walked away without speaking. I took a sip, it was hot and tasted good, the aroma of the coffee beans tantalised my senses. I placed the cup down and returned my attention to the landscape. I could live in the mountains, give all this shit up and retire, sure would be good.

Well my thoughts of retirement didn't last long as my cell brought me back to reality; it was Father Ryan. Turned out he had a hunt for me. He gave me the low-down; apparently I was needed by some highbrow dame who was having a spot of bother with a ghoul at her mansion. As she'd promised to make a large donation to the church if I eliminated the presence, and as they are the people who make sure I have all the cash I need, I could hardly refuse. I slung back my coffee, dropped a bill on the table, and headed outside to the Merc. I punched the destination into the sat-nav. Hmm twenty hour's drive...maybe stop off half way, get my head down for a few...should arrive late Monday evening.

I drove all Sunday into the early hours of Monday morning, and then pulled over for a break, and a few hours sleep before continuing. I just couldn't get comfortable, the events of the last few weeks kept bringing back memories I didn't want running round in my mind. I made myself comfortable on the back seat, and it came rushing back...

After the incident at the diner where I lost Jooles to that son of a bitch vampire, Father Ryan kept me restrained and sedated for something like two months, I can't really remember just how long for sure. He said it was time needed to 'come to terms' with what had happened. During those weeks, every time I came out of sedation all I wanted to do was rip the priest's heart out for keeping me prisoner.

Slowly I realised my anger and hate would not get me free. Time passed and each day Father Ryan would sedate me less and less until I was awake most of the time. He never once lost patience, never once argued back during that time. He'd told me Jooles had been provided with a good funeral, and he was sorry to have had to keep me from it. I'll admit I cried when he told me, I never had the chance to say a final goodbye, although about a year later I did visit her grave and said farewell, but she has never left me really. I carry Jooles always, in my heart and fondest memories; that can never be taken from me.