I was heartened, though, by the fact that one of the valkyries was outside when we left the restaurant.

She’d follow Sarlac home. I didn’t want him to get hurt, or even die, not because of this.

Even if it wasn’t my fault. The succubus would have targeted him anyway, and he’d probably be dead if I hadn’t been there. She’d have driven the poor guy to a heart attack.

Or to realization, as had happened anyway. I wondered what would become of him. For now? I liked the guy, and I gave the valkyrie a quick hand signal before heading home. The next day I called the ACLU.

“Well, changing the rules so nobody can bring anyone who isn’t a current student…”

“Good way around the problem, isn’t it.” I let out a breath that their representative could probably hear.

“I think we should go the publicity route. I’ll assign a lawyer anyway, but…you aren’t averse to cameras and journalists?”

I laughed. “I’m a model.”

“Well, definitely not averse to cameras, then, but some models are surprisingly shy if you ask them to do anything but sit there and look pretty.”

I laughed again. “I’ve met them.”

“But you won’t have a problem. What about your girlfriend?”

“I’ll check with her. She’s training as a teacher.”

“That’s scarier than journalists.”

I was warming to the voice on the phone. “Just let me know when and where you want us.”

Kanesha was angry about this too. I knew she wouldn’t mind a bit of attention.

“Just be ready for people to…”

“They’ll pull the race card, I know.” There were some people who objected as much to the interracial part as the same sex part.

“Yup. The haters will hate.”

“My girlfriend’s a black belt.”

It was her turn to laugh. “Oh dear. So anyone who tries anything with you physically will be on the floor?”

“Yup.”

Which did make me feel better about the entire thing. Whichever one of us they messed with could put them on the floor.

Kanesha was less likely to hurt them on the way down, with her training. But I was perfectly capable of dealing with this.

Even if we didn’t get them to agree, we’d get some egg on their face. Times had changed…and if thousands of year old gods could handle it, a few hidebound mortals could too.