Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. I dedicate this latest one to you guys.

The title means Dinner at the Lion and Lamb.

Cena Presso il Leone e L'agnello

Vladimir was waiting in the Restaurant- six o'clock had been and gone and Wilhelmina had not appeared. As a gentleman he was aware that it was a woman's prerogative to be fashionably late but at his age there was no getting rid of his impatient streak.

"Um…" an embarrassed little clearing of the throat caught his attention. He turned and felt that if his heart were still in service it would have skipped a beat. "Sorry I'm late"

"Five minutes is hardly late my dear" he rose, took her hand and gallantly kissed the back of it. He smelled the blood rushing up into her cheeks. "You look beautiful by the way"

He smelled the blush darken.

"You don't think it's too much?" he could feel the apprehension rolling off her.

He cast an approving eye over the black dress she was wearing. Her blonde hair- which had previously mostly hidden by that unflattering hooded jumper she'd been wearing- was scraped away from her face and held by a plastic grip.

Her face was lightly painted; just a little colour at the lips and eyes.

"Not at all Wilhelmina, my dear"

"Billie" she mumbled. "My friends call me Billie"

He would prefer to call her Mina like he used to but he supposed that times had changed. "Well then Billie. You must call me Vlad- it is only fair"

Billie's surprised reaction to the simplest of gestures, his seating her, intrigued him. It was almost as if she were not used to a man's attentions. Mina; not that he often cared to remember; had been engaged to be married when they met so used to the behaviour.

Billie watched Vladimir… no Vlad, closely over the course of the evening- he was old fashioned but let her order; two rare steaks with plenty of 'sauce', of course it had a French name in the menu that she didn't understand- having opted to study German at school. His green eyes lit up with approval as he saw the dish and she felt the strangest sensation she'd ever experienced. She could feel the approval and what seemed to be pride but she knew that they weren't her feelings.

Conversation flowed smoothly as the meal progressed; the steak was followed by sticky toffee pudding which, Billie noticed, only she was eating. Vlad was merely watching her over his glass of claret.

"What?" she asked.

Vlad smiled. "You remind me of someone I knew once"

She heard something in his tone that made her ask. "Someone you were very close to?"

"She was my fiancée"

"Was?" Billie knew that she shouldn't ask but she couldn't help herself

"Was." Vlad confirmed making it clear that he was saying no more on the subject. "What about you?"

Billie was confused. "What about me?"

"Are you involved in any way, shape or form?"

Billie's eyes widened and she nearly choked on a mouthful of pudding. "That's a bit personal don't you think?"

Vlad felt stupid- a human man wouldn't ask so bluntly; he opened his mouth again but Billie's voice stopped him.

"I've been single for three years"

The meal finished awkwardly it appeared that neither of them was prepared to break the silence between them as they rose and headed to the door.

Vlad turned to Billie, having paid their bill to find her wearing a black coat that tied at the waist revealing curves that neither Elizabeta nor Mina had had. She was holding his own coat over one arm. He took and donned it, nodding his thanks and once again offered her his arm.

The first drops of rain were beginning to fall as they reached Billie's home. Billie favoured him with a half smile and proceeded to unlock her front door.

"Thank you Vlad"

Vlad, who had been walking away already, turned to look at her. She was smiling at him. "Maybe we can do this again sometime?"

"Goodnight my dear" Vlad smiled, he bowed briefly and strode into the shadows.

There you are Chapter 3. Let me know what you think.

Until Next time my friends

Myra