A Walk In The Rain

It was raining; again typical England- Billie had long since missed her bus. She muttered a soft curse and pulled the cotton hood of her worn hoodie over her blonde head; hunched her shoulders and began to trudge the long lonely route back to her home.

She had loved taking walks in the rain. He fondly remembered many occasions when she would wake him early or keep him up late to beg his company as she walked in dawn or dusk rain. He was unsure quite why he had returned to England- perhaps it was his sentimentality- driving him to retrace long forgotten steps.

Squelch!

"Merde" a soft female utterance to the left caught his attention. Far be it from him to ignore a damsel in distress. Perhaps there was a reason for him to be here after all.

Bloody rain; bloody mud; bloody… hell what happened to the rain? She could hear the rain pounding around her but it wasn't touching her?

"Excuse me" a man's voice spoke. "Are these your spectacles Miss?"

"If they've got a bent arm and a hair line crack down the left lens then yes they are"

A laugh. "Your spectacles dear lady"

Billie slid the battered glasses onto her nose and blinked the world back into focus. "Thank you" she lifted her eyes to look at the man. He was tall, slender with thick dark hair pulled into a pony tail; a pale face with refined features, straight nose, pale green eyes and thin pale lips. He was wearing a long dark coat; black trousers and shoes. He held a black umbrella in one gloved hand. The other he held out to help her up.

"Thank you" she said again. Glad to see that chivalry hadn't died after all.

"It was no problem I assure you" the man smiled, dazzlingly, still sheltering her beneath his umbrella. "Have you far to go this afternoon?"

"About a mile" she wiped the dripping hair away from her brow "I couldn't get digs closer to college"

"You have to walk a mile at this time of day, in February- in the rain?" he didn't sound happy about that. "I insist that you take my umbrella"

"I couldn't" she demurred. "It's yours, how would I get it back to you?"

"Very well" the man's smile didn't slip. "If you will not take the umbrella I will escort you home- that way neither of us gets any wetter"

Billie bit her lip. Who was this guy? How many strangers offered to walk a girl home in this day and age? As if sensing her discomfort the man bowed slightly. "Vladimir Temps*, and you are?"

"Wilhelmina Murray" she imitated his use of the full name. Her eyes widened as his face displayed pure shock.

"Pardon me Miss Murray" He replied recovering quickly, he offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Tentatively she accepted the proffered limb and together they set off in the direction of Billie's flat.

Wilhelmina Murray. That name has haunted him for so long- for those short years she was the only light in his life now after all this time he truly would be damned if he would let her slip away again.

*Vlad Temps was the real name of the real 'Count Dracula'

What do you think?- Should I continue or should I just let it lie? I do have more planned...

Let me know- please R&R

Your friend

MyraValhallah