Held

By Marlena Williams

Sayleen, a powerful necromancer, finds herself entangled in a supernatural struggle when her demonic father, who desires to harness her power to conquer the world. In her fight, she encounters Caio, a charismatic vampire king, who becomes her unexpected ally. As their alliance deepens, Sayleen and Caio navigate treacherous territories, unveiling family secrets, and confronting ancient forces. The more they fight, the closer a bond forms over their common foe and love are born.

Unknow to Syaleen her world tilts and she's forced to face the truth when the revelation of her linage ultimately leads to a climactic confrontation where the boundaries between life and the afterlife blur, and the fate of worlds hangs in the balance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: After Hours Publications
• Release date: May 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224269358

Book preview

A Novel By,

MARLENA WILLIAMS

©2023 After Hours Publications

www.afterhourspublications.com

All rights reserved.

Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage without express permission by the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Contains explicit language & adult themes suitable for ages 17+

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Prologue

Iknew I was screwed the moment the hunters caught me. I was going to be sold off to the highest bidder. I’ve heard about the hunters who kidnap people and auction them to the vampires who pay the most for them. I was foolish to think about going to the ice cream truck that day not knowing what awaits me out there. I was eleven when I was taken and sold. Scared mouthy kid who knew she was going to die a horrible death by these vile creatures there wasn’t any hope in me. There were mostly grownups there in a big auditorium-looking place with every race vampire ready for a meal. Since I was just a child, they were to auction me higher.

That bald auctioneer looked at me all wrong the moment I arrived there. I make sure not to be mouthy just yet. Then a vampire wearing a great suit with icky wet-looking hair bet over twenty grand for me. I almost pissed myself when he licked his lips coming towards me. That is when I panicked and ran for the exit quickly eyes blurred from tears as my lungs and legs burned as I pumped my foot to the fleet. There was a huge commotion going on. Some woman popped up in front of me with lightning speed, but I dodged her running and slid under her parted foot, and I dropped her. Before I could reach the door, handle someone handled me by my narrow waist and held me off the ground.

Who the fuck is responsible for this illegal auctioning, the voice boomed, and the entire place went still with fear.

Let me go, please, I fought and cried my eyes out.

A fucking child? authority laces his voice. Guards seized everyone in the place and took them all to the palace, he instructed.

My body limped, but my crying never stopped. I’m a child. I didn’t ask for this, all I wanted was ice cream.

Sleep little one, I heard the gingerly voice say in my ear and my eyes closed and allowed the darkness.

Chapter One

Everyone knows the king favored me the moment he met me at this forsaken place. He banished the group of vampires who had been trafficking human females in an underground trafficking warehouse. He took me under his wings. I am his maid out of the hundreds, and I was branded his mark to make sure no one bothers me. No one messes with me because of it. I can roam the city without being killed or in danger. He treated me kindly and showed me the side no one knew existed.

But tonight, I wasn’t his favorite person. He heard of me going out of town on a date and now I’m feeling his wrath because I didn’t inform him about it. Stuff was thrown and broken all over the floor of his room. I had my head down not wanting to make eye contact. I bet the staff is happy about me getting yelled at. I didn’t regret going out today. I’m satisfied with what happened today, so I’ll take the heat and blame any day.

Did you kiss him? he asked, and I blinked a few times to focus on the agitated vampire.

What? I asked confused.

Did you kiss the fucking human! he shouted at me, and my temper rose as well.

Don’t you dare yell at me! I shouted back. So, what if I did? You don’t see me catching a tantrum as you fucked and drink from your mistresses! How dare you get angry? I’m a teenager I’m experimenting, I said sweetly enraging him more.

You’re grounded for a week, he says, and my eyes widen at his calm tone mostly.

When he sounds like that he’s beyond upset.

I don’t like to be disobeyed, he says walking past me and I blocked him.

Take it back. I can’t miss another week of school, I whispered.

Then stop entertaining boys and do your schoolwork, he snaps at me.

I am! I shouted back at him.

I know I’m acting like a brat. No, I’m not. I had something to do in that town, so I did it and came back after Ron dropped me home.

It’s done I’m not discussing this again, he said firmly.

Are you fucking kidding me right now!? I screamed frustrated.

He gave me everything except jewelry. He gave me a car, a phone, clothes, food, and shelter. So, to my surprise, he handed me a gold ring hanging from a gold chain. The ring had a small black stone. Why give it to me during our argument? He’s so weird. Is he trying to shut me up? Rude.

But why now? I choked on tears as he took it out of my hand.

Why not, he clasped it around my neck. It will not come off unless only I can take it off, same with the bracelet.

Thank you, Caio. Even if it’s a trapping tactic, tears welled in my eyes, and he backed away not wanting any part of it.

He’s sweet one minute and a raging maniac the next. We bumped heads every second and I knew he’s been pulling away from me for the past couple of months. I heard rumors about fiancée coming soon as if it is a movie of some sort. They were just rumoring bulls, so I paid no attention to it though he would have told me this. I saw the man kill and salvage in doing so he loves the elation that comes with him hearing people scream bloody murder. He’s a lunatic. He tries to break me all the time and it messes with my head because he can manipulate minds. I learned the hard way when I was thirteen and he saw me petting a dog. One minute I was rubbing him the next I had a knife cutting the dog’s throat. I screamed and cried at the dead dog and passed out eventually. He just shrugged it off and smiled at me like it was okay. Growing up with vampires and humans who hate me can mess up your thinking and thought patterns.

Now bed and you’re also under room arrest, he said, and I began to shake.

He knows I hate being confided yet he will rip the only thing away that will keep me calm. He knows I can’t sleep without him next to me or sleeping close by. I said nothing as he opened the door for me to leave his room and head back to my servant’s quarters.

Yeah, I stay down there when he’s ticked off or in one of his awful moods. I wasn’t going to beg him because that’s what he wants from me. We knew each other too well to show too much weakness when we were pissed at each other. We strive to break each other’s emotional walls down.

Abby the erotic maid dressed in tight jeans and a tight polo shirt everyday decides she wants to take over my morning duties to cater to Caio. I said nothing. They wanted me out of the picture now. They want the prince. Not just any prince though, the heir to the throne. She shares a quarter with me but when the prince is having one of his days, she must leave the room so he can stay with me. He hates it when people try to figure out our relationship.

Abby wore skimpy shorts and a tight tank top to sleep in. Her long modeling legs and her face were honey color just like her eyes and that golden brown afro with perfect kinky coiled curls on her and hazel eyes made her breathtakingly beautiful. She knew this and used it to her advantage every day.

Heard you were hooking up with a human boy outside of town, she said.

Your dad joined as well, I smirked as she came at me, and I stood my ground ready to defend myself when Elgart Caio head of security gave me a tray of chocolate from Spain. Elgart glares at Abby who shrank back from him and then at me as I take the tray and roll my eyes.

Night ladies, he says.

You won’t be the prince’s favorite for long, she assured me.

Cool, I pop chocolate in my mouth as she fumes. Until then.

FOUR DAYS HAD PASSED when the killing of David Sails’s murderer was still on the loose. Caio kept sending daggers whenever I was around him. He knew it was me and was just trying to figure out how I got away from my guards. Just being me entirely