The Scribe of Thorns

A Dark and Spicy Enemies to Lovers Sapphic Vampire Portal Romantasy

By: E. J. Lucide

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

One moment, I was a historian. The next, I was a prisoner.

My life was a quiet collection of dusty books and forgotten languages. I preferred the company of the dead, safely bound in vellum and leather. But on Halloween night, a cursed grimoire changed everything. One whispered incantation I didn't understand, and I was ripped from my world and thrown into Nocturne—a gaslit, gothic city of endless night where vampires rule and witches like me are a resource to be bled dry.

I was a historical anomaly. An impossibility. And I landed directly in the hands of Commander Augusta Devereaux.

She is the architect of my people's subjugation, a ruthless vampire commander with centuries of ice in her veins. With a severe, butch beauty and a will of iron, she is the most powerful monster in a city of them. She sees me as a tool, a secret to be unlocked, a captive to be broken. From the moment she calls me "it," I know I should hate her. And I do.

But when I’m cornered and my own dormant magic—a power I never knew I had—explodes from me, she doesn't kill me. She begins to train me. In the shadows of her fortress, our battle of wills ignites a dark, forbidden tension I’m not prepared for. Every clash, every lesson, every unwanted touch becomes a spark in the tinderbox of our hatred.

Now, a conspiracy threatens to shatter the fragile peace of Nocturne, and I, the prophesied Scribe of Thorns, am at the center of it. To save this world, I have to forge an alliance with my captor. I have to trust the very monster who holds my chains. But the closer we get, the more I realize the greatest danger isn't the war brewing outside, but the scorching, all-consuming fire she’s starting within me.

She is my bully. My captor. My enemy. So why does her touch feel like the only sanctuary I have left?

This dark and spicy sapphic fantasy romance is perfect for readers who love:

• A true enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance
• A dominant, morally grey butch vampire commander
• A sharp, academic femme witch discovering her power
• Captor/Captive and forced proximity dynamics
• Steamy, spicy scenes with high tension
• portal fantasy in a dark, gothic world (Isekai)
• A high-stakes plot with a "chosen one" prophecy
• Vampire and witch lore with a dark academia aesthetic
• Paranormal romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat

Not spicy, but a story I enjoyed

there was a chapter that felt misplaced, but other than that, the story was easy to follow and I was filled with anticipation to see what would happen next

That was hard to finish

First off, virtual voice ruins books. Second there were chapters out of order which was super confusing. There was 0 spice in the book even though the description says otherwise. There was no relationship building between the MCs. The storyline itself has great potential but needs to be worked more.