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

Suddenly panicked, Bel lunged forward over the altar. But even as he moved, Alitius spoke the final word of his binding spell. “Mehshabel!”


Bel felt shadows closing in around him and he fell across the altar, his body suddenly nerveless, his mind a haze of confusion. The last thing he saw was Alitius’ sneering face above him and the last thing he felt was the coldness of the stone beneath him. It seemed to chill him through in a single instant, and blackness dragged him down until he knew no more.10


Chapter 66