Into Thin Air

Chapter 50

Hope kneeled on the ground, her breath held and eyes on the ascendant. It whirred and spun around eagerly, but all Hope could do was wait for someone on the other side to step through the portal. She had activated it easily; it was the waiting that was the hard part. 
Or at least, she thought that would be the hardest part. 
“Dad?” Hope pulled herself to her feet. 
Klaus stared at his hands, as if he couldn't believe he was real, and then around at Hope’s dorm room. He took a step forward, hitting the barrier spell Hope had put up.
It was a good thing she always over-prepared and had decided that a barrier spell specifically designed to hold anyone who walked through the portal would be a good safety precaution. 
“Let me out.”
“Maybe you should take a moment -”
“Let. Me. Out.” The dark veins under Klaus’ eyes appeared. “I’ve been stuck in that hellhole for a decade! I’m starving!”
Hope’s eyebrows pulled together painfully. “I understand that -”
“Then let me out to feed!”
“I would but ... it’s just that you seemed a little … unhinged.” Hope touched her fingertips together lightly.
“Of course I’m unhinged!” Klaus shook with his rage, surging against the barrier again.
Hope nodded. “I can get you blood bags, but I you need to calm down before you can feed on a hum-”
“I need to feed! Not sip on your stale leftovers!” He banged his hands against the edge of the barrier spell. 
“Well you can’t feed on the students here. You would have to be able to make it into town.”
“You know what? You can’t -” Klaus broke off suddenly, looking towards the door behind him. “Did you hear that?” 
“Hope! Don’t open the portal! Hope! Please wait!” Lizzie burst into the room and right into the circle Klaus was trapped in. She spotted him, eyes going wide. “Oh no.”
Klaus was in front of her impossibly fast, hand around her throat before she could even think about moving away. 
“A friend of yours?” he taunted Hope, lifting Lizzie's feet off the ground. 
“Let her go,” Hope begged. “I’ll find you someone else -”
“She is not a bargaining chip!” Klaus whirled so that Lizzie was looking at Hope while she clawed at his hands futilely, her eyes wide and terrified. “She is a lesson! It’s a good thing I don’t care for the blood of witches. She is of no use to me.” 
Klaus snapped her neck violently, sending her blonde hair flying. Her body made an awful sound as it hit the floor. 
“Lizzie!” Hope started to rush forward until she remembered the spell. With one snap of her neck, the spell would fall and Klaus would be set free onto the students.
He tilted his head, a sick grin spreading across his face. 
“Tick-tock. I’m waiting.”