ANDREA'S OVERLORD by Michelle Marquis Page B

until the bleeding stops.”
    “And what if the bleeding doesn’t stop?”
    “Continue to apply pressure and get the patient to a medical facility as quickly as possible.”
    The instructor circled around another student’s chair. “Should you ever try to give a blood transfusion if you don’t know the victim’s blood type, Lilly?” He paused by her chair.
    Her hazel eyes scanned the room as if the answer to the question might be scrawled on the wall somewhere. “Um…can you repeat the question please?”
    “Andrea, can you answer the question?”
    Unfortunately she could. Well so much for trying to get by one day without looking like a know-it-all. “No you can’t give a transfusion, sir. If you introduce an incompatible blood type into a patient, their body will reject the new blood and cause a reaction.”
    The instructor placed a bony hand on her shoulder. His hand was cold and uncomfortable, like forceps. She tried to be still but the sensation made her shiver.
    “Excellent, Andrea,” he said with a thin smile. “As for the rest of you, I suggest you all study more. I’d hate for some of you to have to go back for retraining.”
    The buzzer sounded indicating class was over for today.
    Everyone grabbed their stuff and rushed for the door.
    “Don’t forget your reading assignments,” the instructor called after them.
    * * * *
    “We have a problem,” the school headmaster said.
    Bryce took a seat at the far end of the enormous office. He scanned the crowded bookshelves wondering how many of those books the headmaster actually had read. Not very many he’d wager. The headmaster was more of a doer than a thinker, that’s what made him such a successful man. Bryce caressed the carved armrests. “Is your problem a student or an instructor?”
    The headmaster sat behind his desk and made a steeple of his fingers. “A student. The problem is a female student.”
    “Go on.”
    “I’m not sure what to do. She’s a smart girl, too smart. We need to break her a little so she respects her betters. If we don’t I fear she might…question things.”
    “Define ‘things’.”
    “You know, the way things are, the status quo.”
    “Ah.” Bryce pulled out a thin cigar and lit it. He blew a stream of smoke into the air ignoring the headmaster’s scowl. “Hmm…a free thinker. We can’t have that now, can we?”
    “This isn’t a joke, Bryce. This girl is dangerous.”
    “If she’s such a danger to the establishment then why don’t you kill her?”
    “There are those on the Council who like her. Killing her would bring about unpleasant questions. I can’t just kill her.”
    Bryce flicked ashes on the Oriental rug. He grinned when the headmaster winced. “What do you propose then?”
    “Carla could tame her. I’d feel comfortable turning her over to Carla for her first referral. What do you think?”
    Bryce shrugged. “Does this dangerous young woman enjoy the company of other women?”’
    “I don’t know,” the headmaster said. He got up to pace. “What difference does it make?”
    “If you really want to control her, why not give her to Mikel? He has quite the reputation for bringing free thinkers to heel. I’m sure he can handle your smart little student.”
    “What if she falls in love with him?”
    “That would be perfect for you. Then Mikel would be able to pay her a visit and pull her back into line if she should ever get any revolutionary ideas.”
    The headmaster hesitated. “What about you?”
    “Me? Oh no, no, no. I’m booked up for the next few months. One can only deflower so many women in one night, Harry. Besides, Mikel is meaner than I am. I don’t even know why Carla crossed your mind.”
    “She contacted me a few days ago during the supplicant auction. She paid for the young woman but, as you well know, the girl must first undergo her initiation before going to her new master. I’m just worried Carla won’t keep a close enough eye on her and the girl