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

The page he’d opened it to seemed to be a set of instructions, describing preparing a particular herb, and as he read, he felt his brows furrowing. He looked up at Bel. “It’s a recipe book?”


“In a manner of speaking. Keep reading.”


Oisin flipped to the previous page, looking for a heading or some other indication of what the recipe was for. He immediately found one, written at the top of the page in slightly larger letters than the rest, and his eyes went wide. A Potion to Cause a Woman to Feel Lust, it said. “It’s a spell book?” gasped Oisin.


“Indeed.” Bel smiled. “I am curious to see if you have any aptitude for it.”


“Perhaps. You have the old blood in you, and there’s a trace of divine blood in those lines. So it’s possible you’ve enough of the gift. There are other things needed as well, but they can all be learned if one is determined enough. As I will not have to begin by teaching you your letters, I’m inclined to try.”


Chapter 6