Blood Threads: The Star Seamstress Book One

by Noella Royce

  His eyes began to glow red, a similar color to Adin's, and he began to murmur in a foreign language. I struggled, but despite being wiry, he was shockingly strong, and his hand closed around my throat.

  "I kar mœlun liräl ranyozhun—" Suddenly he was ripped away and I stumbled forward and whirled.

  Adin was there, sneering and clutching the man by his neck so he faced me and the window. The vampire was a picture of gorgeous horror, a gothic romance villain come to life, and I was goddamn grateful to see him.

  "How dare you!" the man squealed, struggling to see his attacker. "You don't know who you're dealing with!"

  A smile that was downright amused came on Adin's face—it'd be sexy if it wasn't rather menacing. "Oh, don't I? Why don't you show me?"

  In response, the necromancer lifted his hand, now glowing a fiery orange-red, and swung it towards Adin's face. The vampire growled and threw the man on the floor. He rolled and leapt up, but then his expression of triumph fell and his eyes widened as he saw Adin. "The First Changer," he gasped. His hands began to glow again and he began to mutter furiously.

  Adin, looking unconcerned, tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Really? A fireball? Do you honestly think you have enough time for that one?"

  The Asher blanched and stumbled over the words of his spell, his words speeding up. Suddenly, a huge glowing ball appeared, spinning and arcing fire like the surface of the sun, and I screamed, pressing myself into the corner. Oh shit, now we were going to get blown up, and it was my damn fault for walking home alone.

  Adin lazily lifted his hand from where it rested on his bicep and flicked his fingers with a single word. "Alcio." The fireball burst with a 'pop' and kicked up flames towards the necromancer, who howled in pain and stumbled backward with his hands at his face.

  With no more effort than as if he was picking up a pillow, Adin lifted the man and flung him out the window with a terrifying crack as the wood exploded.

  He screamed, but then it was gone, and there was no thud. Had he been teleported away like the others?

  This question was utterly forgotten when Adin turned to me. I stepped back from his crimson gaze, but there was no rage there. "Were you harmed?"

  "No, no, I'm fine, thank you. I think I'm okay, physically, but my mind's a mess." I tried to smile, failed, and I wrapped my arms around myself and shuddered. I was feeling an odd mix of tired and stunned, yet also invigorated, as if ready to fight a battle. I fell back onto the bed and looked around in shock at the ruins of my bedroom. "Breanna's going to kill me," I whispered.

  I swear that was sympathy on his face. Was Adin capable of empathy with stupid, human me?

  "That's the least of your problems right now."

  "It's better than thinking about what would have happened if you hadn't shown up," I countered. I looked at the pile of ash that had been Shawn. "So what was he?"

  Adin's eyes faded to his daytime hazel and he sat on the edge of the bed. "A ghoul, and a poorly crafted one at that." His voice dripped contempt. "He's not particularly good at it, and it's never a good idea to get attached to one's creation. Mediocre necromancers are an embarrassment to the profession."

  "Yes, it's such a tragedy that the necromancy was really subpar. So disappointing." Adin lifted an eyebrow at my sharp tone, and I sighed and pulled my feet up underneath my butt. They were so cold. "I'm sorry; it's just that I can't believe he's dead, and that he was about to kill me. That's despite being dead, and a ghoul. Oh god." I laughed, and heard the edge of hysteria in my own voice. "This young guy who I watched get kidnapped was turned into some sort of monster by these bastards, and there's nothing I could do. I wasn't able to save him; no one was. Why isn't anyone doing anything? Why am I even involved in this?"

  I expected Adin to laugh and mock me, and was surprised when he didn't. Instead he sighed and shifted closer. I resisted the urge to lean into his shoulder. "Life can be cheap in Maywen, no more so than for those who aren't considered part of the community. But whatever had been left in him had been shoved into a small box in the corner of his soul, and that thing had very little of him left. He might be free now."

  "Might?"

  "There are things here that can trap a soul."

  "Oh." The serious tone in which he said those words made me shudder, and I felt the freezing air from the window on my skin. "Why are they so obsessed with me?"

  He lifted the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. "You're shivering," Adin said, and I looked down at myself in surprise.

  I was sorta naked, somehow. My clothes, including much of my bra, were destroyed. My underwear was nothing but elastic and some cotton in the middle. My skirt, my lovely, silently loyal skirt, was now just a long, seared singe, jagged and burned. The recognition that my brave, simple skirt was dead made me burst into tears. "It saved me," I choked out.

  "Yes, it did. That garment was slight magic and very simple, but it did an admirable job. This is also why the Order wants you. Despite being your first attempt, you managed to create a surprisingly effective shield. You have talent, and they would rather you developed it in service to their own ends. There are many things a crafter such as you could do to a simple mage's robe to enhance their efficacy and protects the wearer."

  I tried to laugh, but it turned into a strangled sob. "Well maybe that's a good thing, if they'll finally teach me what to do with this stupid power. It's not like Frank can do anything, what with his promise to Thalia."

  "I think it's time she and I have a little chat." There was a note to his voice, low and vibrant, and I found it oddly comforting. Hell, I found his presence, shadowy and solid, comforting. I had to fight an urge to crawl over to him and fling my arms around his sculpted chest.

  God, how sad was it that I was so alone I wanted to snuggle up to a sarcastic, universally feared vampire. "About what?"

  He ignored the question. "You now see the foolishness of going home alone? Being alone is dangerous."

  I laughed weakly. "I wasn't alone, apparently, even though I told you I wanted to be. You were there again."

  "You think I was listening to you?" He ignored my glare. "The bastards held me up. They seemed to know you were being followed, and I was attacked. It didn't work for long, but long enough."

  "Why do you keep rescuing me?"

  Adin's eyes looked to the ceiling, as if accessing a memory, and furrowed his brows. "I have seen too many talented magicians and crafters destroyed by the Order through the years, some of whom were precious to me and the community. I cannot stop them, but I can do what I can to mitigate the damage they do. But tonight I almost failed, and I am sorry."

  I heard his sincere regret and placed my hands on his forearm. "You showed up, and that's all that matters." All that anger and frustration I'd felt in the club had faded away. What remained was gratitude.

  Adin might've been a vampire, as well as kind of a dick, but that didn't change the fact he kept saving my life. Maybe I just needed to accept his mysterious help and stop questioning it. "Thank you." I squeezed and pulled back, resisting the urge to cling to him and the powerful masculinity he exuded. "Seriously. I know I'm an idiot, and an outsider, and the chances of me surviving long enough to even develop these powers are zero to null.

  "Despite all that, and the dismissive way you treat me, you've been nothing but helpful. I don't know why you've earned your reputation around here, and I probably never will, but thank you." I don't know if I'd ever been so earnest in my life, and tears were falling down my cheeks. All of my old concerns—about my friends, about being dragged into a tabloid nightmare because of my old boss and her husband—none of that seemed important. All that was important was that I was alive, and it was because of him. I gave him a lopsided grin and sniffled. "I'm leaving tomorrow, but I'll find a way to pay you back. Maybe I can find a fine vintage of blood, ship it to you regularly. The wine of the month club but for blood has got to exist, right?"

  I couldn't see his eyes, but I could practically hear them
roll. "That's asinine."

  "It is, isn't it? But you have to admit it'd be kind of cool. How about a gift card? Do vampires shop online?" I was making jokes to distract my shocked mind, but it wasn't really working. I rocked back and forth trying to find comfort in the repetitive motion.

  "Yes." He lifted my blanket, which had fallen open when I touched him, and wrapped it around me again. There was a thrill to having his hands so close to my bare skin. "You must take this seriously, Veda. They will not give up until they have you."

  "Wonderful." I felt that surge of anger again, and this time did put my weight on Adin. My blood still ran hot with fear and other emotions I couldn't name, and some of that energy was converting to something else in his presence. "I feel so delightfully doomed."

  His arm moved behind me. "You don't have to be." He radiated what I could only describe as a cold heat, and I couldn't seem to stop my fingers from moving up to his bicep. My hand was trembling.

  Why was I drawn to this guy, to the point I was coming on to him after almost being kidnapped by a magical douchbag and his shambling zombie? He confused the hell out of me, being a dismissive asshole one minute and a knight in shining armor the next, but the latter was seriously overshadowing the former. Damn him, he made me feel safe, and his distracting beauty made me forget how scary he could be.

  Adin was watching me, gaze thoughtful, and I hoped he couldn't tell what I was thinking. I laughed weakly. "You know, if cryptic answers and pronouncements were money, I'd be a billionaire by now." I was trembling, and it wasn't the cold.

  He smiled and lifted his hand to the blanket. "You can't sleep in here, you know."

  "I know." I drew my legs up so I was in as small a ball as I could imagine. "I just need to pull myself together." Why was any of this happening to me? What had I done to deserve this?

  Adin's arms encircled me. I breathed in relief, burying my face in his shirt. "Thank you." I couldn't stop myself. "I can't thank you enough. I insulted you, I told you to fuck off, and you saved me again anyways. Thank you."

  "You're welcome." Adin's arm tightened, and I clutched at him, digging my fingers into his skin to remind myself he was real.

  As we sat there, I noticed that he did breathe, his heartbeat strong and consistent. I tapped where his heart was. "So you have a working respiratory system?" My lips were so close to the top of his chest, just a thin shirt away, that I could easily reach skin by pulling down the collar. He was cool but not warm, and I wondered what he would taste like. Would he let me taste like I wanted to? Whether from lust or gratitude, I couldn't tell, as my mind was still a mess, but god, I wanted him. The longer I clung to him, the more my body reacted, a yearning wetness between my legs.

  "Yes, we do. Undead that do not have the organic processes that mimic humanity are not able to pass as alive. Like Shawn and other ghouls, they're too empty, too alien to fool most people. The original spell that created us was carefully tuned to ensure our facsimile of life was convincing. Were we successful?"

  Created by a spell, huh? I filed that away for later and poked at his pecs. "I'd say so, yes. You're a little low on the temperature scale, but other than the scary red-eyes and fangs, I wouldn't know you were anything but another hot jerk drug dealer."

  He growled, but I could tell it was playful, especially since his grip didn't slack. "You still think I'm a criminal, I see. What, am I dealing pot to my students on the side?"

  "Hey, I don't know what you academics make these days. Maybe tenure isn't what it used to be."

  I got a low rumble of laughter in response, and the sound vibrated through my body and sent sparks of sensation down to my toes. I couldn't help myself from nuzzling against his chin, grateful he was willing to have ridiculous conversations that helped calm me down.

  The laughter stopped. "Veda." There was a warning there, or a promise. Not caring which, I kissed his neck, gently tasting the line of the muscle that led down to his sternum.

  With lightning speed, a hand wrapped around my wrist, and another took my chin, pulling me back. I gasped, the sound breathy and anything but afraid. Being manhandled by a hooded asshole had been horrible, and yet being touched by Adin was invigorating.

  Adin and I stared at each other, and in his fierce eyes was both a demand and a question. He wasn't laughing or teasing me, as he'd done the last two times we'd tangled—he was deadly serious now, and he took my breath away.

  I leaned closer and placed my hand where his collar met his shoulder. His shirt molded around the perfect contours of his bone and muscle, and I was momentarily lost in the sensation of touching him, running a nail on the curve of his bicep.

  "Damn you." His voice wasn't angry, but instead oddly resigned. Faster than my human eyes could track, I was on my back, his lips were on my neck and his hands wrapped around my waist, offering welcome warmth. I let out a noise of pleasure as those long, beautiful fingers wrapped themselves around my ass, and he squeezed, making me laugh. His lips moved upward to my mouth to crush it in that epic kiss of his, and I lifted my chin to be closer to him, to show how eager I was to taste him again.

  It hit me that I was basically making myself fully available for vampire, a man who was not above taking blood from young human women when the opportunity presented itself. But, fuck, somehow that turned me on even more, and my body sang with the sensation of being in his arms. I've never felt so delicate with a man before, so powerless, and I loved it.

  I made a sound of blatant desire, and I swear he smiled into my mouth, feral and warm.

  Wait, why was he warm? Was it my imagination, or was all of him warmer? No, he definitely was, a heat spreading underneath my touch. I pulled back. "Why are you hotter?" I asked, awed by the transformation.

  His smile was a devil's grin, younger and more human than any I'd seen from him before. "Magic," he whispered, and wrapped his hand in my hair before pulling me up and kissing me again, biting my lip as he moved his hands down my breasts and stomach, teasing, before he'd grabbed my behind and held me very firmly in place. There was a primal edge to his movements that had me reacting in kind, fingernails digging into his skin.

  I pressed myself closer to him and dug my fingers into his back, the fear-fueled adrenaline now transformed into white-hot desire. God, he was solid, and stupidly delicious.

  Moving my hips elicited a wonderful growl, and as I wrapped my legs around his torso, his hands moved upwards towards my breasts. "Adin," I breathed, arching in pleasure. Yes, distract me, I begged him silently. Ride me and fuck me and chase all the bad things away. Somewhere, I knew this instinct was bad, but I didn't want anything to do with that logical, self-aware little voice.

  His fingers moved to my hip, slipping under what was left of the elastic of my underwear.

  But instead of pulling it down, Adin pulled away. In the same fluid motion, he lifted me up so I was sitting, and then stepped back.

  I blinked, my breath still labored, and tried to process what was happening. "Did I do something wrong?" The shape in his jeans told me he was certainly into it, so why was he stopping?

  He ran a hand through his hair, exhaled, and looked away. "No. This, however, cannot happen."

  Disappointment filled me as the cold air hit my skin, and I wrapped my blanket around my now chilly flesh. "Why not?"

  "Because I'll be bad for your health." His voice was gentle, and I wondered how many times he'd said similar words to confused, aquiver human women. "Going any further is a mistake, and it won't happen again." He looked around. "Do you know your apartment smells like magic?"

  "Are you changing the subject?" I asked incredulously. We'd come within seconds of having some very hot and heavy sex, and now he was leaving? Oh my god, I hated him, in the sense that I wanted him desperately.

  "Yes."

  I bit back a swear word and wondered if it'd be ungracious to throw a book at his head. "Well, you wouldn't be bad for my health, because I'm leaving this stupid town first thing tomorrow. And of course it smells mag
ical in here; there was a necromancer fucking shit up."

  His eyes narrowed. "No, that's not it. This scent is older, ingrained." He touched the doorframe. "It's familiar, and yet I can't place why, as if it's morphed from the form I knew. I'll think on it." He paused. "You'll attempt to leave Maywen?"

  My blood chilled at the word 'attempt', which suggested failure. "Yes. I can't do this anymore." I looked at the mess on the floor, the spot that used to be Shawn, and winced. "Clearly this town is trying to kill me. As pitiful as my life is, I'm not quite ready to throw it away yet."

  "Understandable, but they won't allow that to happen. They will not let you go, and you would be surprised at how far their power extends."

  Who was he, to make out with me, reject me, and then try to give me advice? Damn him and his chilling words. So I was alone, unprotected and trapped. That sounded an awful lot like hell to me. I was feeling the loss of my skirt again, missing that particularly puppy-like presence in the back of my mind. "There's nothing I can do to help anyone; it's better for me to leave, even if it's risky."

  "With training, you could help them."

  "Oh yeah, I can help them, just like Shawn. The boy I saw get kidnapped, not that me being a witness mattered to anyone, is now dead. Is that's what's going to happen to them? All of them becoming ghouls?" I remembered Kyle, his easy smile and old-school politeness, as well as the pictures of the other missing three young men and wanted to cry. "How can you say I could help them when I'm up against crazy people who can teleport and raise the dead? What can I do in a town where I can't reach out to the police, or anyone else, for that matter? You all use magic. I can't do much of anything yet. Why don't you help them with that fancy magic you use? Can't you do much more than me?"

  "I told you, I cannot." His aquiline profile was outlined in the light coming through the window, and I saw the red glint to his eyes again. My influence is limited; I am not allowed to hurt more than stray Order members."

  "Why not?"

  "You are safer if you stay, but I will not try to convince you. Just know I cannot help you outside the boundaries of Maywen." Adin turned, and I bit down the desire to yell at him, tell him to stop. "Goodbye, Veda."