Bei was stacking the books when Roy came to.

"What happened?" He rubbed his neck before he gasped, standing up. "You! You're a vampire!"

She laughed. "No, not exactly."

Roy blinked and his hand slowly fell back to his side. "Then what are you?"

Bei turned to him and leaned on the desk. "I'm an Alchehistrists by rights. I can manipulate energy in my body to pass it through physical contact to another. I learned it from an Alchemist named the Passing Alchemist. I learned to pass energy back and forth, taking what I need and replacing it with stagnant energy. Equivalent Exchange, if I remember correctly, is the term you Alchemists use." She pushed off the desk. She dusted off Roy's shoulder. "You were Maes Hughs' best friend, weren't you?"

Roy suddenly backed away from her.

"I was told that by the man named Havoc. He said you cried when Maes died." She looked sad. "I've never lost a companion, Cornell. Tell me, do you visit him often?"

Roy sat down. "Yes. Every afternoon."

Bei sat down next to him. "The Fuhrer's authorized you to see this."

She turned away from him and lifted her shirt just a bit. There was a dragon tattooed across her lower back. The head was scared out. The dragon itself was nearly black, but the claws and the tail were fire-red.

Roy gasped and then touched her shoulder. "You're from Xing!"

"Just like you, I was a slave. But you were sent away to safety." She turned back to him. "You weren't sold, you were given to Miss Mustang so you could live a normal life. You're my cousin. I'm the only child who was left behind." She smiled at him. "Shocking, isn't it?"

"What's your name?"

"Bei."

Roy shook his head. "You're full name. I want to know my surname."

She smiled. "Bei is your surname. It means 'Flower'. The men of my clan used it as a sort of middle name. My name is Bei Xing." She looked sad. "I was named for the beauty of Xing as a child. I was told I would grow to be the gem of the servants, able to do and be whatever it was that was asked of me." She slowly lowered her gaze to her hands. "Our clan had the natural ability to understand complicated things. It was the gift that was passed between clan members."

Roy touched her forearm. "Is that how you knew how to counter me?"

She nodded and then suddenly laughed. "There's only one other of us out there. But he was wed into another clan."

Roy suddenly felt her whole body tremble. "What's wrong?"

"His granddaughter takes better care than I ever have." She covered her face. "I left behind my closest and dearest friend. I had no choice. I've died so many times. I just want to survive just once."

Roy remembered the tears she held in during the fight and the way she nearly cried when he wouldn't give the pendant back. He recalled the way her blood seeped down her face before she'd fallen.

"Why'd you bite me?"

She burst out laughing hysterically. "I didn't mean to. I was in a fit of agony. I had no other way to hold onto you. I didn't realize you were already pinned down." She rubbed the tears away and smiled at him. "I was in a hurry to restore my energy, I'd forgotten to look."

Roy shook his head. "You're nuts."

"Yes. Yes, I do believe I am." She jumped up when a shadow descended from the window. "Hey!"

Roy's eyes slowly followed her gaze as they widened at the sound of the voice from the sill as the window burst open.

It couldn't be...