Page 107 of Haunting the Deep

He opens a velvet box with a beautiful diamond ring inside. “Will you have me as your husband, Samantha Mather?”

My heart flutters. “Yes, Alexander Jessup, I will.”

He takes the ring out of the box and slides it onto my finger. It sparkles in the candlelight. The anxiety from the music melts away, like an echo in the back of my mind.

He smiles so big I get lost in it. He places my arms around his neck, and slowly we turn. “I told you that you would dance with me before we reached New York. I believe you lost the bet.”

I laugh. “What’ll you do with your victory?”

“Claim my prize.”

“Oh yeah?”

His smile is mischievous.

“What?”

He pulls me over to the record player and hands me a silver dance card with lacy engraving and a ship on the front.I was just talking about a dance card, wasn’t I?I look from the record player to the dance card. It all feels familiar, and not good familiar.

He frowns. “You don’t like it? I’m sorry. I thought you would find it romantic. It’s silly.” He reaches for the dance card.

“Wait.” I stop his hand. “Itisromantic.” I smile at the insecure look on his face. “I want this dance card, and under no circumstances will I give it back to you.” I pause. “In fact, if you don’t sign it, I’ll be severely disappointed.”

He grabs a silver quill-tipped pen off the desk, beaming. I open the dance card to the first blank page.

He takes a small pocketknife from the table, flips it open, and pricks the end of his finger. A bead of red appears. He dips the pen in it and writes his name largely over the entire “Engagements” section.

“Alexander! Blood? Really?” I watch him.Blood? Knife, dance card, record player, pen.

He frowns. “I want to be with you forever. Do you not want the same thing?”

I touch my forehead. “I just…There is something I can’t remember. Something right at the edge of my thoughts. Does that ever happen to you?”

He takes a step forward and runs his hand along the side of my neck. He kisses where his fingers just were. “Do you want to be with me?”

“I do.”

He pulls my sleeve off my shoulder and kisses my bare skin. “Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

He kisses me right under my chin. “Then sign your name,” he whispers in my ear.

My collarbone tingles and my hand goes to it. My fingers find something small and metallic. I look down at it.A broom necklace?

Alexander holds my other hand in his and pricks the tip of my finger with the knife.

“Couldn’t I just write my name in ink?” I ask.

He puts the knife down on the table. “Blood means more. Blood cannot be broken.”

I look at my finger with the droplet of blood on it, and he hands me the pen. An image of blood on my hands flashes before my eyes.Music. Record player. Dance card. A broom necklace. A pen. Blood. Blood-red…red…

“Redd,” I say, and the second her name leaves my lips, I feel different. Strange, like my mind is a cloudy sky starting to clear.

Something odd flickers in his eyes, and Alexander pushes the pen closer to me. “Sign, Samantha.”

Another cloud moves. “Alice,” I say.