“Polite and enormous," she said, stalking inside.

"Freak."

He was shaking his head. This was going to be interesting. He caught up with her and directed her into the studio where there was another woman waiting.

“Damn. Naughty librarian looks good on you," she said.

The girl raised her hands up in the air.

“Why do people keep saying that?" she asked exasperatedly. She was a curvy blond, though not as stacked as Joanna. Her hair was done up in a cute dutch-boy style, and a pair of dark glasses were propped up by an elegant nose.

"I dunno," Billy said, sticking his hands into his pockets and shrugging those massive shoulders. He'd encouraged her to get those glasses, in no small part because he liked the librarian look.

"Anyway. Sasha, this is Heda Adler. Heda, this is Sasha Baker."

"President of the human student council?"

"We just call it the student council," she said properly.

"Something about using the word ‘human' tends to confuse the pure humans. So you're the daughter of the great —-"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Heda said. She was staring through a glass window, watching Madison Sloan. She looked . . . different. For one thing, she looked completely at peace. She was dancing to "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," and she looked Like she was having fun. Her body swayed with uncanny grace and a very definite sexuality, but it was her smile that was most surprising. How could a mouth that snarled the way it had weeks earlier look so happy and full now?

"I'LL let her know you're here," Billy said.

"But before I do, I just wanna ask that you give her a break. She's got a reason to be suspicious.

"[]

"Does it have something to do with this Trojan Horse thing she keeps yelling about?"

"Is that what she thought you were?" Sasha said, her beautiful face making an unladylike sneer.

“One of the problems with not having working eyes is that she can't tell if someone's a shifter, a magical human, or a pure human. Her bat species is a communal creature, and her human side still needs some of that. Something she's never had. Alvin Hannity found that out, so he kept sending people to try to be her friend. She could not tell what they were or anything about them, but she was so damn starved for some kind of friendship. They would get close and then tell her they'd never really hang out with a DM. Then he'd get people to stay close to her a little longer and invite her to actually go out places, then he'd make sure that everyone stood her up. Of course, sometimes he'd show up with some of his buddies to laugh at the poor girl standing next to the theater or restaurant all alone. Those were his favorites the ones where he made her cry in public."

"I am so going to hurt this guy," Heda said.

"Be careful," Sasha said.

"I know, I know. He's got powerful family and friends. So do I." She glanced at the dancing girl, who was punching up some new songs into her console.

“She can see though, can't she? I mean, she looked right at me and tried to kick me in the head. Can't do that based on a guess."

Sasha looked alarmed, but Billy looked resigned.

"Not exactly. I think it would be better if she explained it." He checked on Madison.

"Once she gets the next block started, I'll let her know you're here and I'll run the show for a bit." He walked through a door that hissed a bit when he shut it. She glanced at him when he walked in but didn't say anything.