Page 207 of Nanny and the Beast

My phone rings, making me jump. I relax when I see Klaus’s name flash on my screen.

“Hello?” I say, holding the phone to my ear. My hand is shaking as I stay frozen in the middle of the foyer. Flames dance all around me in choreographed synchrony.

“Emma? Where are you? Why didn’t you pick up your phone?”

I glance at my phone screen to see that there were multiple missed calls from Klaus. I should have called him right away, but it hadn’t crossed my mind. I was just focused on getting everyone out to safety.

I put the phone back to my ear and keep moving.

“There’s a fire in the house,” I tell him. “The kids and my grandma are safe.”

There’s silence on the other end.

“And you?” he asks.

“I came inside to get Helena,” I say. “I think she’s still asleep. The fire alarm didn’t go off.”

“Emma, listen to me,” he says urgently. “I need you to leave the house. Alaric and I are four minutes away, and the firefighters are on their way too.”

“I can’t leave Helena inside,” I say.

“Emma, please,” he says. “I can’t lose you. Not like this.”

I can’t see his face, but I hear the affection in his voice. It reminds me of Rosalie standing in front of her closet, trying so desperately to salvage everything she loves.

“Please hurry,” I say.

And before he can reprimand me, I hang up. I wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes.

Even in this life-and-death situation, I’m still analyzing every little word he says. I’m still trying to determine if his feelings for me were ever real.

I’m near Helena’s bedroom when the feeling of being watched returns. I glance over my shoulder.

My throat tightens when I see that a beam fell over the emergency exit, blocking it. I’ll have to figure out another way to leave.

“Sweet Emma.” The two words are sung, making my blood instantly curdle. “Did you miss me?”

My gaze swings wildly over the open space. All I see is the orange and yellow of the raging fire.

My heart thrashes against my ribs as I realize who set the fire.

He’s finally come for me.

“Did you really think I’d let us be separated for too long?” My stalker emerges from the shadows, walking steadily toward me.

The fear is paralyzing. I’m rooted to the spot. I don’t run or call for help like I should.

When I played this moment over in my head before, I assumed that I would be stronger. I thought that I would be wiser. But I’m still the weak, pathetic teenager I once was.

“You’re a slippery little fish, aren’t you?” he says. “It took me a while to catch hold of you, but you’re finally mine again. And I’m never, ever going to let you go now. What we have is too special. I’m not going to let another man get in the way.”

He’s talking about Klaus.

Klaus.

Klaus will be here any second now.

As I think about him, the fear melts. It’s replaced by something new—valor.

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