
The Turned: A Dark Vampire Romance
Mary Taylor · Ongoing · 60.1k Words
Introduction
He locks the doors.
And he tells me I belong to him now.
I wake up in a vampire’s mansion with no memory of how I got here—only the hunger, the burning sunlight, and the man who refuses to let me leave. Thad Samford is cold, commanding, and absolute. He says my transformation isn’t finished. Until it is, my life—and my body—are under his control.
When I try to escape, the sun nearly kills me.
When he saves me, he binds me to him in blood.
The bond changes everything. His voice settles the hunger. His presence pulls at something deep inside me. I should fear him—but my body craves his blood more than freedom.
As Thelma learns how to exists in this new world, she starts piecing together the truth he's been hiding. Her turning wasn't random. She was chosen, and Thad knows why. Even if he won't tell her.
The more Thelma uncovers, the less she knows what to believe. Thad claims he's protecting her, but from what? Why does his protection feel like a prison? As rival clans close in and dark secrets come to light, Thelma has to decide if she can trust the man who helped steal her humanity or if she should walk away before he destroys her completely.
Chapter 1
When my eyes open, I’m looking at a ceiling I don’t recognize.
There’s white plaster with a crack running down the center like a lightning bolt, an expensive-looking chandelier, and heavy curtains blocking out whatever light is trying to come through.
Nothing about this makes any sense.
I try to sit up. I slide my hand on the mattress to push myself upright, and the bed frame groans like I’ve slammed down on it with my full body weight. The mattress craters beneath my palm, and the springs compress so hard I hear them protest.
I’m upright before I realize I’ve moved, and the room zips past me in a rush. My hands shake as I stare at the crater my hand left in the bedspread.
Where am I? How did I get here?
The last thing I remember is leaving work on a Thursday evening. I left around six and headed to my car in the parking garage. I remember the sound of my footsteps bouncing off the concrete. I remember thinking it was dark for so early in the evening.
After that… Nothing. It’s like someone took scissors to my memory and cut out everything that matters.
I swing my legs out of bed and stand on the plush carpet. The room tilts, and I hold onto the bedpost to steady myself. My skin feels wrong, like it’s paper-thin and stretched too tight. Something inside my body is vibrating, a hunger that starts in my stomach and spreads outward until even my fingertips ache with it.
“Okay,” I say to myself out loud. “Okay, just breathe, Thelma. You’re fine.”
But it doesn’t sound like my voice. It sounds deeper, like someone else is speaking from inside my body.
There’s a full-length mirror across from the bed, mounted on the wall next to a mahogany dresser. I move toward it without thinking. Maybe I’m looking for proof that I’m still me, that whatever happened didn’t change who I am.
I stop in front of the glass and stare at nothing.
The room behind me appears perfectly. The window with its heavy curtains. The four-poster bed with its rumpled sheets. The ornate furniture and the cream-colored walls. Everything is reflected except for me.
I reach out and touch the mirror. The glass is ice-cold and smooth, and a ripple of condensation gathers where my fingers rest. I move my hand, and the droplets move too.
When I bring my hand to my face, my fingers find skin and bone and cheekbones. My dark auburn hair is still there—I can feel it against my shoulders. But the mirror shows nothing. No face staring back at me. No pale skin.
Nothing.
I’m standing right in front of the glass, and I’m completely invisible.
“No,” I whisper. “No, that’s not right.”
I’ve always hated my cheekbones. They have too much definition. But I love my eyes. They’re the one thing I actually like about my face. Grey-green with little flecks of gold that only show up in certain light. I used to spend a fortune on eyeliner just to bring them out.
Now nothing shows in the mirror except the room I’m standing in.
I press my palms flat against the glass. The mirror cracks. A spiderweb of fractures spreads out from where I’ve touched it. I snatch my hands back. The cracks spread even more, and then the entire mirror shatters. Glass falls to the floor in a cascade of pieces.
I jump backward to avoid the shards. Except I don’t jump. I move, and suddenly, I’m on the other side of the room. I don’t even remember crossing the space. One minute, my hands were pressed against the glass, and the next, I’m here, gawking at the broken mirror, still searching for the girl who isn’t reflected anywhere.
“Okay,” I say again. “Okay, you’re okay. There’s an explanation. There’s always an explanation.”
But I don’t believe it.
I turn away from the mirror and move toward the window. My foot catches on the edge of the carpet, and I stumble. I shoot my hand out to catch myself on the wall, but my palm goes through the plaster like it’s wet clay. The hole I leave behind is the size of my hand, and dust rains down onto the carpet.
“Oh my God,” I breathe. “Oh my God.”
I pull my hand back and stare at the damage. The plaster is crumbled around the edges of the hole. This isn’t possible. This isn’t real. I’m dreaming.
I pinch my arm hard enough to leave marks, and the sting is immediate and real.
There’s no way I’m dreaming.
I move to the window and grab the curtain rod. I just need to open it. I need to see outside and get my bearings. Maybe there’s something out there that will help me make sense of this.
But when I pull the curtain back, the rod bends in my grip. Metal groans, and I realize I’ve compressed it like it’s made of foil instead of steel. The curtains fall to the floor in a heap.
Sunlight streams through the window, and I throw my hands up to shield my face. Where it touches my skin, it burns. This is deeper than a sunburn. The pain seeps into my tissue and bones, tearing me apart from the inside out.
I spin away from the window and move toward the opposite wall. My hip collides with the edge of a chair, and I hear wood splinter, but I keep going until I’m back in the shadows.
I wrap my arms around myself and breathe through the burning until it fades.
“What is happening to me?” I ask the empty room.
Last Chapters
#57 Chapter 57 The Offensive
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#56 Chapter 56 The Loss
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#55 Chapter 55 The Offer
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#54 Chapter 54 The Bloodline
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#53 Chapter 53 The Court
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#52 Chapter 52 The Alliance
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#51 Chapter 51 The Aftermath
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#50 Chapter 50 The Siege
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#49 Chapter 49 The Origin
Last Updated: 3/16/2026#48 Chapter 48 The Surge
Last Updated: 3/16/2026
You Might Like 😍
The Hunter and The Hunted
Mihai’s hand slowly slides up my stomach, his fingers wrapping around my neck as he cuts of my ability to breathe, black spots clouding my vision, and yet, I am not afraid. I want more. I want everything that he can give to me.
He slowly inserts a third finger, the intense fullness that I feel teetering me over the edge of a cliff I cannot even see, and then he sucks and pulls at my clit. Sparks erupt throughout my body, the orgasm shaking my soul, and destroying what was left of my resistance.
She was the Daughter of a Hunter, he was one of the creatures that her family had sworn to destroy, what could possibly go wrong?
When their worlds collide, who will be left standing, will it be the hunter or the hunted, and which is which?
The Rogue King II
Under the weight of his grief and pain, along with of the uncertainty of the new mate bond forged between Silas and Nate, Silas decides that he needs help. The weight of being Alpha that nearly just lost his pack if his little sister hadn’t been there, Silas decides to push everything away to be a better and stronger Alpha. Using magic is father gave him, Silas loses so much more than his way.
Nate, struggling with the mate bond, what the bond means for him, has continued to fight Silas, his Alpha, his best friend, and now his mate. When their fight goes too far, both Silas and Nate must deal with the consequences. It both pulls them together and tears them apart. Eventually leading to a full break in any relationship they had ever had.
On his own, Silas has to navigate through the next chapter alone. Coming to realize his actions, the consequences, and just how much it’s going to take to repair the damage he has done.
Nate, also on his own, works through what it means to step up in more ways than one. Somehow, even after her death, Aelia is still reaching out and helping Nate navigate the world on his own. He vows to grow and step up into the wolf that she knew he could be.
Book 2 in The Rogue Kings following immediately after The Rogue Kings I - Solaris' Reign. Trigger Warnings. Rated 18+.
The mafia princess return
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
The Dragon's Last Fae Queen
“Prince? Dickhead? Asshole? Or stalker?” A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. “Maybe I should show you the one title I want you to use.” Before I could react, his hand closed around my chin, tilting my face up. His lips crashed into mine, hard, claiming, breath-stealing. When he finally pulled back, his voice was a rough whisper against my lips. “You could call me yours… because you are mine.”
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
To protect what’s mine
Mates: Regrets and Redemption
With my heart in pieces, I sought solace in the last place I expected—my Alpha's arms. One night turned into a dangerous entanglement, and now my Alpha refuses to let me go. As the Alpha’s obsession grows, I'm caught in a web of desire and fear.
Curtis, the boy I once loved, still holds a promise I made, but the Alpha’s powerful presence pulls me deeper into his world. Should I forgive Curtis and keep my word, or should I risk everything for a chance at something wild and unpredictable with the Alpha who won’t take no for an answer?
“There are no limits between us,” he chuckled, the mirth sparkling in his gorgeous eyes. “And all of this stems from the night you gave me both pain and pleasure. I’m simply returning the favor.”
He took two steps forward, and I stepped back. “But…” The memory of what I had done filled me with fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. “I…”
“No, Firecat.” He placed an index finger on my lips. “This will take your mind off that son of a bitch.” His strong hands pulled me by the waist until I felt his hard manhood.
Omega Bound
Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life.
Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Avery and the Cursed Alpha
Then a mysterious billionaire offers her a deal that sounds too good to be true.
Alexander Ravenswood is powerful, wealthy, and feared throughout Tenebrous City. Behind his perfect public image lies a deadly secret. He is the Alpha of the Nocturne Pack, cursed by an ancient bloodline that is slowly driving him toward madness and death. His only hope lies in finding the legendary Aethon Orb—or the prophesied mate destined to save him.
When Alex discovers that Avery can draw symbols connected to the long-lost artifact, he offers her a contract she cannot refuse: become his fake fiancée for six months in exchange for enough money to erase her debts and save her home.
What begins as a business arrangement quickly becomes something far more dangerous.
As they search for the missing Orb, Avery is drawn into a hidden world of werewolves, ancient prophecies, and deadly pack rivalries. Powerful enemies want Alex's throne. A jealous Alpha heiress wants Avery gone. And a ruthless rival Alpha will stop at nothing to claim the Orb for himself.
But the greatest secret of all may be Avery herself.
Because the closer she gets to Alex, the more impossible truths begin to surface about her past, her strange abilities, and the destiny that has been waiting for her all along.
With a curse threatening Alex's life, enemies closing in from every side, and a forbidden bond growing stronger by the day, Avery must decide whether to walk away from the dangerous Alpha who needs her—or risk everything for a love written by fate itself.
In a city where secrets kill and destiny cannot be escaped, can a fake engagement become a love powerful enough to change the future?
Bound By Power, Torn By Love
She regards him as her only salvation, but he regards her as a pawn for revenge. When two enemies dance on the sharp knife, what will be the final outcome?
The Contract Wife: Marriage Of Malice
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
I didn't tell him to stop.
Instead, my fingers curled into his shirt, clutching the fabric as though it was my only anchor. Something in him snapped—something he had been holding back for too long. His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn't tender, but hungry, desperate.
I gasped into him, his hand sliding up to cup my jaw, holding me as if afraid I might vanish.
"You drive me insane," he breathed against my mouth, his lips trailing to my throat. "I can't lose you, Ella. Not you."
My head fell back, a soft sound escaping me as his fingers memorized my waist. My anger melted beneath his desperation.
"James..." I whispered, more plea than protest.
His hand caught mine, fingers threading together tightly. "I'll bring him back. I swear it. Just... don't turn away from me. Please."
The word please—low, ragged, almost broken—undid me more than anything else could have.
Ella never imagined she would marry the man she had secretly loved for years in such a way.
When her brother Theo faced twenty-five years in prison for massive embezzlement, the ruthless business tycoon James Lancaster offered her a deal: marry him in exchange for her brother's freedom.
This wasn't a fairy tale proposal, but a carefully orchestrated revenge. Because in James's heart, Ella was the culprit who had killed his sister Cecilia. He wanted her to pay the price—to atone with a lifetime of suffering.












