For years now the harvest has been less than it should be. Last year the people of Oisin's village sacrificed a goat, but their god did not come. Now, in desperation, a human sacrifice has been suggested, and Oisin, recently orphaned and feeling life is not worth living, volunteers. But the god Belinos is not quite what he seems, and Oisin's sacrifice will not be what he expects, for Belinos first came out of the darkness to drink the sacrificial blood not because he was a god, but because he was a vampire. This is just the beginning of the changes to Oisin's life, as he is drawn further and further into a world of gods and magic, where the most unexpected thing is not even his own blossoming talent, but the blossoming feelings he has for Belinos. Love between mortal and immortal is not without its difficulties, though. As outright war among the gods threatens, Oisin will end up making a far greater difference in the conflict than he could ever have dreamed possible.

The Sacrifice

Rising dripping from the water, he looked around, and then yelped as a towel floated up into the air in front of him. “What?”


There was a faint sound of insubstantial giggles, and the towel wrapped itself around him. He stepped out of the tub, feeling very off balance. There were more giggles and a second towel rubbed his dark, untidy hair dry, while the first tied itself around his waist.


“Uh…thank you?” he said to the invisible whatever it was. More giggles sounded, but they faded away, and he felt like he was alone again.


“The house sprites say that you are finished.”


Oisin jumped, spinning around to find Bel once again standing in the room, his dark robes a stark contrast to the white and pale gray stone all around him.


“Come, no doubt you are tired and hungry. I will show you to your room.”


Bel didn’t reply, he simply turned and went down another long corridor of golden stone, with Oisin trailing tiredly after him.


Chapter 4