The girl with no name, chapter 4.

Staring out of the window, her arms clutched around her, she could still taste him.

It was so beautiful. Sacred almost.

How his breathing went, his hands in her hair.

His breaths becoming moans, then that moment his moaning faltered and he cried out her name.

Sinking to his knees, holding her, weeping. Saying that name over and over again.
That name confused her, but made her feel so good and whole too.

And then everything seemed to go in overdrive.
She hadn't heard the sound of the motor, but she saw the two men jump out of the speedboat. Hands grabbing Eddie and swearing.

"Fucking cunt. I warned you to stay away from her."

And he punched Eddie in the face, punched him in his stomach, pulling him up at his hair and punching his face again.
"You little shit. Saying her name!" While he kicked him in the groin.

She screamed.

"Fedja, no! Leave him!"

But the other man restrained her and took her to the speedboat, trying to prevent her from seeing what was done to Eddie.
And then she felt a sharp sting in her arm and when she looked she saw the needle of the syringe being pulled back and her mind went blank.

Blank.

No.

She remembered what had happened this morning.

"Eddie." She whispered his name.

"EDDIE!" She yelled his name.

She ran out of the room, downstairs, up to the library where her grandfather was sitting.

"Grandpa! I am...I need...." She turned around and ran to the kitchen, opening the door and with a barking Jasper behind her she rushed over the lawn, to the boathouse.

The old man saw them go.

With a resolute gesture he picked up the phone and pressed a key.

"Miles....where did you and your cousin Fedja take the boat this morning?
I saw you leave....no....I see the way  Robson is with my granddaughter....Fedja should not....no....listen, Miles...when you see your cousin I want you to send him over....I want no harm done to my guest...you hear? No harm! I invited Edward here for...yes...that'll be all."

The old man hung up and opened the terrace doors. With a determined look on his face he descended the two brick stairs to cross the lawn the way his granddaughter had gone.

Rain saw that the speedboat was already docked at one of the jetties, but no sign of the sailboat. In the boat she saw a white piece of cloth. She jumped in the boat and looked at it. It was Edward's t-shirt, ripped...with blood on it.

"No..." Rain muttered, clutching the cloth to her face.

Quickly she climbed out of the vessel and almost stumbling she ran to the boathouse.

The door to the boathouse wasn't locked when Rain tried to open it.
"Edward?"

The familiar scent of varnish slammed into her face like the moment of truth.

Edward had been productive. Canvases against the wall, drying. Half finished most of them. Always the same theme it seemed. The subject was a female nude and almost violent splashes of paint - strokes, destructive splatters surrounding her, but she seemed to be protected somehow, like in a cocoon of tenderness and love while the outside violence tried to break through it. Portraits also...always the same girl.
Other materials.
Wood.

Lumps of clay kneaded into her features.

This artist was obviously obsessed somehow.

With a lump in her throat she looked at his art.
A big stone, worked on. The face of the girl already recognizable.
Rain stroked the girl's cold marble cheeks.
"Hálwen." She whispered.

Knowing the girl's name.

"Eddie!" she cried out again, knowing there would be no answer.

She sank to her knees, cursing her weakness.

The girl with no name, chapter 3

At first things seemed like a blur to the young woman.

She was aware of warmth and the sound of a crackling hearth fire.

The snout of the dog, in her face. Ugh, dog breath.

Laughing she pushed him away.

"Don't, Jasper."

She tried to sit up but her body felt so heavy. It really took a big effort to lift her head.

When she did she saw the big man standing next to the couch she's lying on. Robson, her grandfather's man. His face strained.

"Fedja, what..."

She saw the other man on the ground. Looking at her intently with amazingly beautiful eyes. She felt something inside her belly contracting.

"Eddie." She smiled, holding out her hand.

Edward jumped up and sat beside her on his knees, clutching her hand against his chest, softly pressing his lips on her fingers.

"Raindis." The man she called Fedja bended over her, a worried look on his face, and stroked the hair from her forehead.

"You should rest. I'll let the gentleman out and bring you something to drink."
She didn't seem to hear him.

She stared at Edward's face.

That intense look in his eyes.
"I know you." She whispered.

He just nodded his head.

"Rain." Robson pleaded.

Rain tore her gaze away from Edward's soulful eyes to look at the broad shouldered man.

Distracted she asked: "Why am I here, Fedja? Where is..."

"My child." An old voice said. "Robson is right, you should rest."

The old man, she knew was her grandfather, had woken up and was now patting the dog.

"Robson will bring you to your room so you can sleep. It's late. In a few ours the sun will come up."
"Yes, you're right, grandpa. I am feeling rather tired. Weirdly dizzy." She sighed and looked back to Edward, feeling her mind go blank again.
She tried to hold on to her memories of him, but they were fading out. There was an almost passive panic in her eyes, the struggle visible. And while a tear welled up in her eyes, she smiled and said to Edward she hoped she could see him tomorrow.

"I would very much like to see your art. If I may."

She shook her head almost invisible as if to withhold him from asking questions when she saw the pained frown appear between his brows.
There seemed to be this silent communication going on in their subconscious. Eyes locked - like magnets they were drawn to each other.

But then the man called Robson lifted her up as if she weighted nothing and carried her through the door, leaving Edward behind. Perplexed.

She was dreaming again. Always that same dream.
A dark corridor with doors. Locked doors. It was a corridor in some attic. A plastered sculpture of a torso in shadowy corner. And one door, slightly ajar. Inviting. Warm light, soft sounds, whispers. And each time she reached her hand to open that door it slammed into her face.
She woke up. Sweating. A choking feeling in her throat like the tears she held back were straining to get out.

When Rain got dressed and went downstairs everything was still quiet in the big house.
Her dog Jasper was wagging its tail and so happy to be let out of the kitchen door.
Looking behind him if the woman was following him outside.

It was a bit misty. But Rain could already see it was going to be a lovely day. Yesterday's downpour had cleaned the sky.

Her feet brought her to the boathouse.
Quietly she walked around it.
But finding no sign of life she decided to walk to the jetty and sit and stare over the lake for a while.
In the fog she noticed some movement. A large shape glided over the water. Getting bigger as it drew nearer to the shore.

It was her grandfather's classical Wayfarer.
And sailing it was the man who somehow made her heart skip a beat each time she saw him. A happy feeling, but it also scared her.

"Hey you." He called when he approached. "Want to join me?"

She took off her shoes and when she stepped into the boat he elegantly took her hand to help her get in.

"It's okay, Jasper." She said when the dog started whining. "Go home!"

"Beautiful dog." Edward said. His deep soft voice giving her a pleasant shiver along her spine.

He smiled and it made something inside her belly tumble.

The mist cleared and it was very pleasant in the boat, and even though there was hardly any wind they were now in the middle of the lake.

Rain was leaning against the board, one arm dangling in the cool clear water, staring at her hand making eddies in the stream - she seemed miles away while Edward was observing her.

But she wasn't. She was conscience of him...his beautiful face with the dimples when he laughed, his half long curly hair, his frown above those intense eyes bordered by amazing lashes, pink heart shaped mouth resembling those of the god of mischief; Loki.
She was so aware of his presence, it almost made it impossible to control her breathing.

"It's so warm." She suddenly said and to his surprise she took of her sweater and jeans and jumped into the water, almost tripping over the boat.

He called her name...the name he shouldn't use, and jumped after her.

The cold of the water came as a shock to him and when he surfaced the water he didn't see her. In panic he swirled around, searching for her - when right in front of him she emerged; a mermaid, with laughing eyes.

"Eddie."

One hand lifted from the water, touching his cheek and his bottom lip, followed by curious fingertips on the stubble of the attractive cleft of his manly chin. Exploring his jaw, towards his ear. Her eyes gazing at his half opened mouth.

"My love." He moaned.

Grabbing the back of her head and drawing her in.

One hand in the nape of her neck, the other in the small of her back - his mouth covering hers with a sigh.

Drowning, whether from his kiss or sinking under water. The sensation of his mouth on hers, his tongue touching hers; like drowning in the most pleasant way.

Nothing. Just him.

They both started kicking their legs at the same time and when they looked around, breathless, they saw the boat had already floated far away.

Screaming they raced after it. And by the time they had it they both hung at the stern of the boat, giggling, panting.
Happy, like children. For the first time in years.

While Edward hung at the starboard side of the boat, Rain climbed in on the other side.

Effortless he got in too, making the boat almost keel over. She tried to bring it into balance again, took the helm and pulled the line to make the sail catch some wind  and sail towards the other end of the lake.

Eddie was leaning against the mast, watching her. Her wet t-shirt clung to her body, showing her every curve.

He could not help getting hard.

Memories of her naked body. On that bed, her lust so visible but being restrained unable to find release. Oh how he wanted her at that time and how he wanted her now.

She looked up to him, but shyly averted her eyes when she saw the look in his eyes.

The dagger board carved through the sand and quickly Rain pulled it up, letting the boat glide up to a small sandy beach.
Edward reefed the sail and got out of the boat. He held out his hand to help Raindis out of the boat too. A slight grin appeared on one side of her face, making her look naughty, when she saw his arousal clearly visible in his pants.

"What?" he asked with a smirk.

"Nothing." She giggled.

"Nothing?" He jested. "I'm in pain!"

"Well." she said. Putting her fingers between the rim of his pants and pulling him closer.

"Let's do something about that then..."