She stood as I did, my eyes parallel to her the entire time until I was able to stand tall again. When I squared my shoulders back, the Mori did the same. When I took a deep breath, the vampire copied again. She was copying everything I did.
“What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” She stepped closer and wrapped a hand around one of the bars. Her head tilted to the side, all the way until I thought she would turn her head upside down.
“I’m a prisoner. What are you?”
She touched her chest. “I am Jiyama.”
“You are a Mori.”
“I am Jiyama. You are prisoner.”
I frowned. “My name is Davy. Your name is Jiyama—”
“—name.”
“—You are a Mori. I am a human.”
“You are a prisoner.”
“No, I’m a human—”
“Human. Davy. Prisoner.”
“Yes.” I surged forward eagerly. She was getting it.
“I am human, prisoner. Jiyama.”
“No.” She sighed. “You are a vampire.”
Her lips lifted, and fangs appeared.
“Yes, see. You’re a vampire. I’m a human.”
The fangs slipped back in their place, and she closed her mouth. “Davy. Jiyama.”
“Oh God.” This was going to take a while.
The door burst open again, and Lucan stomped in. “Jiyama, what are you doing? Get away from her.”
She turned, but not before I saw her grin. “I am learning English.”
He stopped and frowned at her.
I expected him to rip into her, chastise her, but when he said nothing, her mouth dropped open. Instead he looked at her in confusion, like she was a puzzle that he couldn’t figure out.
When he continued to stare at her, a laugh ripped out of me. “I can’t believe this.”
His eyes grew dark, and he pointed a finger at me. “You shut up. You don’t understand a thing. Jiyama, we need to go.”
She turned back and reached through the bars again. “Davy. Prisoner.”
The same surge of warmth spread through me again. I gasped and my vision blurred this time. She had healed me before, but this time her magic helped me. Life—something took root in me. The Immortal stirred inside of me, wakened once more. I seized the magic and absorbed it eagerly.
“Don’t!” Lucan yelled.
Jiyama jerked away, but I grabbed her hand before she could pull it out. I yanked her back to me.