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

“Uhm…” Oisin tried to think. To get something within him outside of him, and into the bowl? He thought suddenly of the altar, of the bowl for the blood, and said, “My blood?”


“Oh no, it’s quite correct. Why don’t you try it?”


Oisin glanced around. He’d needed a small knife earlier in the process, there was one amid the scatter of ingredients and tools on the table. He picked it up, then glanced up at Bel again. Bel said nothing, but he nodded encouragingly. Oisin put the tip of the knife against his other hand and pricked his finger. A drop of blood came out, red and shining. Bel looked at it intently as Oisin put his hand over the bowl and shook the drop off into it. He picked up his spoon and stirred it in, and he felt an odd kind of tugging sensation in the center of his chest as he did.


“Very nicely done,” said Bel softly.


Chapter 10