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

“Sleep well?” said Oisin, his smile growing a little broader.


“That’s good.” Oisin climbed from the bed and stood beside him. Even kneeling on the floor as he was know, Bel wasn’t that much shorter than he. Oisin bent a little and gave him a soft kiss. “It was pleasant to wake and find you beside me. But you don’t need to watch over my sleep. I can call you if something goes wrong.”


“I know.” Bel sighed softly. “I just…You seem so fragile sometimes.”


“Bel…” Oisin halted, and almost didn’t continue, but finally he decided that they needed to talk about this. “I suppose I am fragile. At least compared to you. Compared to Alitius. Compared to either vampires or gods. I’m human, and I can’t help that. But that’s the thing. I’m goingto die someday, one way or another. I don’t want you to always hover over me worrying about it. That’s no way to live, for either of us.”


Chapter 53