Chapter 8 INDULGENCE

"Maybe I did," the girl answers. Drops of cold sweat are forming on her temple. Vikram can tell she's still in pain even though it's been four days since he fixed her up. For some reason, her wound just won't heal. He's been putting on some ointment every now and then, but she still won't heal. It's concerning.

"Tell me about your parents," he asks, looking away from her, back to the ceiling. "How were they?"

Vikram can feel her gaze upon him; he's used to it by now. She's always staring at him, and the way she constantly seeks out his eyes first is refreshing - different from everyone he's ever known after the fire. People always get distracted by his scars first and bandages. It can be annoying. But not Malva.

"My mother was very beautiful... She had a beautiful way of seeing life and a beautiful smile too. I loved her." Mal says. "She would always protect me when my father got out of control. It happened quite often after I was born, I guess. He used to say I was the reason their life went wrong."

"You see, before I was born they lived in the city. My Father had a great job, and my mother had an art studio. She was a wonderful painter, or at least that's what my father would always rant about when he got drunk." Mal sighs, and takes a second before continuing. "Everything changed after I was born. I was weak and got sick easily. So eventually, my mother stopped painting to take care of me, and my father left his job in the city to live in the countryside because of my poor health; I'm pretty sure that's what triggered the drinking. He was always so frustrated."

"Everyone expects their child to be perfect, and to bring happiness and pride to the family. But some people can't help but do the exact opposite of what is expected of them." Mal smiles humourlessly. "Sometimes they choose to go another way. Other times, life forces them down different, dark paths and one just can't fight against this."

She becomes silent after that. And after a few moments Vikram turns towards her;

"So which one are you?" He questions, motionless and expectantly. "One of those who chose the other way, or one who was forced down a dark path?"

"I'm the one that had no choice," Malva shrugs.

Vikram studies her profile quietly. Several minutes pass with both of them simply basking in each other's noninvasive presence. It's pleasant in a way he almost forgot was possible."I wonder which one I am."

"I think you're both," she says and pauses a moment before continuing. "Fate may have forced you through a dark path, but you're the one who chose to continue in it. Now, how about your story?"

"There's nothing worth knowing," Vikram turns his head at the question and closes his eyes again. "Besides, you already know everything about me, don't you? You've seen it."

"I know nothing about you, V," Mal's voice is placid. "I know some of the events of Vikram Von'Vern's life. A man who was betrayed and hurt, and who died with his wife, years ago."

Malva slowly reaches out and touches his face; not to read him this time. She's not sure why. Maybe just to confirm that he's really there.

"And that's not you. You are no longer that man." Her fingertips draw a line from his ear to the side of his mouth, but Vikram doesn't move or open his eyes. "You're someone new. A strange man with a mind full of doubts. You want things that you think are impossible, but that doesn't stop you from running after them."

As slowly as she reaches for him, she pulls her hand back.

"You need to decide who you want to be, V" Mal looks at the ceiling again, the pain is back and is so much worse. "Until you can do that, you'll have no story. Because you will simply not exist."

"Until I decide..." Vikram whispers to himself.

He's about to say something more when she speaks:

"You should lock me up somewhere. It's not safe to trust me."

"Louis thinks so too... He seems afraid of you." Vikram says with a frown. It's as if Jimenez's name puts a bad taste in his mouth. "And used those exact same words when he came here after you almost died. You were unconscious, barely breathing, yet he still looked at you like you were some wild animal."

Mal doesn't say anything, just sighs.

"Are you really that afraid of yourself?" He asks, sitting up to stare at the dark-haired girl. "That makes me rather curious. You're not even sure that you killed your parents. What makes you think you're so dangerous?"

She doesn't move, nor does she speak a word. And it only takes him a moment to realize what's happening. He's already getting up to go to her side when she finally responds.

"Because I might not have killed my parents," she begins between gritted teeth. "But I've killed so many people after that."

Vikram has to hold her down while taking a syringe that he had left on the bedside table, He injects her with it and it only takes a few moments for her body to relax under his grip and her breathing to begin evening out. He takes the drip connected to her arm off.

"You are not the only one with blood on your hands. I'm not afraid of you," he whispers next to her ear when he leans down to pick her up. "I had hoped you'd be more reasonable about this whole situation. I thought we could be something next to companions since I need you in my research. But if your desire is to be locked up and treated like an animal, I'll indulge you."

Vikram looks down at her face as he walks out of the room. She's staring intently at him, in a way that leaves a stinging sensation in his chest. It's a familiar feeling he doesn't appreciate. A feeling that brings back memories he would rather prefer to forget. Vikram is used to people's stares of fear, disgust and even hate whenever he goes out – which doesn't happen more than twice a year, on official business related to his family's property and money. But he isn't used to this type of stare like he's something worth contemplating.

As he thinks about what to say, he notices her expression change. Malva's soft stare slowly turns into a malicious glare.

"Does it bother you?" she asks, her voice cold. Even colder than his own. "Having her observe you?"

"If you want to prove you are dangerous, you'll fail." He declares, noticing this isn't Malva anymore, but her other self. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Yeah, you said that already," she starts trying to wiggle in his arms as they descend the stairs to the first floor. Squirming, she attempts to have him put her down. But he doesn't. "That's cute, but it's not why I'm here."

Vikram continues walking. He goes through a door that leads to a stoned corridor and then turns right where a small stairway is.

"What is it that you want?" He asks, feigning interest.

"First? For you to put me down, please" Not-Malva answers. "And to talk about your research."

"If I put you down, you'll end up hurting Malva's body. She's still recovering from the surgery."

"Ah, right, which you didn't tell her about..." she interrupts him. "She's very self-conscious about her scars, and now you've seen all of them. I wonder how she would act around you if she knew."

"She was awake during the surgery. Why would I need to tell her about it?" Vikram looks down at her face for a moment as if her question was the most stupid thing he's ever heard.

"That was me," Not-Mal explained with a smirk. "I've told you before. When I come out, she blacks out. She never remembers anything, but she still feels it."

Vikram arrives at the laboratory just as the girl finishes explaining. There's a small room at the back of it, with three big cages inside.

"There's no point in telling her about it."

They're both silent as V opens the door to one of the cages. And when he's about to put her inside, she speaks again:

"Oh, but there is," her tone sounds like a warning. "When you connect her to your beautiful machine, and your minds come together, she'll see everything through your eyes and you know that. Because what happened is all you've been thinking about, since the moment you entered that room and found her awake, until now. All you can think about is what happened during those hours."

"Is there a reason for you to be telling me this?" Vikram backs away and closes the door of the cage. "Wouldn't it be more enjoyable to just wait until she finds out?"

"No," she hisses at him, coldly. "She chose to trust in you, she told you about her past and she's never done that before." Not-Mal makes a short pause. "She believes you can actually be friends. She's been longing to have one since the day we escaped that cursed hospital, and she thinks it could be you."

"I'm not friends with anyone," Vikram shakes his head in disbelief. the mere concept should make him laugh. He noticed Malva and him are similar in many ways, and maybe a relationship like what he has with Jimenez could be manageable, but not friendship. Never friendship.

"I can see that, and I really don't understand what she sees in you," the girl crawls back until she feels the iron bars against her back. Her tone is rather acidic. "But she's already formed an opinion about you, because of your actions earlier. Congrats, you've earned yourself a fan."

Vikram looks at her from outside the cage; curious.

"Why should I believe you?" He dares. And she smiles.

"Oh, you most definitely shouldn't. I'm the wicked Mal. But I need something, and you're the only one that can give it to me. So I want to make a deal."

They stare at each other in silence for a long moment this time.

"I'm all ears," Vikram finally says; his silver eyes gleaming in the weak light coming from the laboratory.