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

He saw his eldest brother move to the far side of the fire from him, though he’d been helping himself to the food only moments before, and scowled faintly. Well, Bran’s obvious discomfort was the least he could suffer after turning Oisin out of his home the moment he’d inherited it, so Oisin simply ignored him, though the thought flitted through his mind that perhaps he could test out one of those curses, just a very minor one, on his sibling…


With a smile and a shake of his head, Oisin put that thought aside. Tempting as the idea was, it wouldn’t be right.


“Oisin,” said a voice hesitantly at his elbow. He turned to find Caydren standing there, shifting uneasily in the flickering light. Before Oisin could say anything, Caydren blurted out, “I am very sorry.”


“For pressing myself on you. I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry. I value your friendship highly, and I don’t want to lose it.”


Chapter 31