Live With Your Blood || LingOrm

Chapter 35: Brain Manipulation

Orm sat at the dining table, her parents staring at her from across the room. The tension was thick, and her mind still whirled with confusion from the events of the previous afternoon. She winced slightly, touching the bandage on her head, still raw from the injury of falling down the stairs.

"You see? This is exactly why we told you to stay away from her," Mrs. Koy said, folding her arms. Her voice was sharp with frustration. "Ling is dangerous, Orm. She's not human. She has no place among us!"

"Mom, stop!" Orm replied, her voice cracking slightly. "Ling didn't hurt me. She was trying to save me. You don't understand—"

"Save you?" Mr. Job interrupted, slamming his hand on the table. "I saw her with my own eyes, Orm. She had her fangs buried in your neck like a predator! And you're telling me that was to save you?"

Orm shook her head, trying to clear the confusion swirling in her thoughts. "She wasn't trying to kill me. I fell, I was bleeding, and—"

"And she took advantage of that," Mrs. Koy interjected coldly. "She waited until you were weak, and then she drank from you. Don't be naive, Orm. She's a vampire. That's what they do."

"No! She stopped herself. You didn't see it. She could have drained me, but she didn't! She fought it, I could feel it—" Orm's voice faltered, but she stood firm.

Mr. Job leaned forward, his eyes dark with anger. "You're being manipulated, Orm. That's what they do. They pretend to care, they make you feel safe, and then—when your guard is down—they strike. Yesterday was just the beginning."

"It wasn't like that!" Orm's voice rose. "She had the chance, Dad. She could've killed me right there, but she didn't! Why would she stop if she really wanted to harm me?"

"Because she's playing the long game," Mrs. Koy shot back, her voice icy. "She needs you to trust her. She's grooming you, Orm. Slowly, subtly. Making sure you don't suspect a thing until it's too late."

Orm clenched her fists, feeling a knot of frustration in her chest. "That's not true. You don't know her like I do. Ling has been nothing but kind to me. She's saved my life more than once!"

"Is that what you think?" Mr. Job's tone was sharp, almost mocking. "You think this is some grand romance where the vampire and human live happily ever after? Wake up, Orm! She's a predator. She'll do whatever it takes to keep you close, even if it means pretending to care."

Orm's heart sank, the words twisting in her mind. Was that really true? Could Ling be manipulating me?

Mrs. Koy seized the moment of hesitation. "Orm, we're your family. We've protected you your whole life. You can't trust someone like her. She's dangerous—not just to you but to everyone around her. She doesn't belong in our world."

"But she's not like that," Orm whispered, her conviction wavering slightly. "She didn't ask for this. She's not evil. I've seen her struggle with it, I've seen her fight to stay human."

"Fight?" Mr. Job scoffed. "That bite on your neck isn't a fight, it's a warning. She's toying with you, Orm. Slowly sinking her claws deeper into your life, into your mind."

Orm shook her head, but her parents' words were making her doubt everything. The manipulation was subtle, but effective. They were planting seeds of fear, of mistrust.

"What if you're wrong?" Mrs. Koy said softly, leaning in. "What if, next time, she doesn't stop? What if, one night, she drains you completely while you're sleeping? How can you be so sure she won't?"

"I—" Orm started, but her voice faltered. Could she be certain?

"She's already bitten you," Mr. Job added, his voice low and menacing. "This is just the beginning. You don't think she's going to stop with one taste, do you?"