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

“And then, once I’ve enjoyed myself a bit, I’ll put this right where it belongs, straight through your heart. I know that won’t kill you right away, of course. I might leave it there for a while and just watch you bleed. Then I’ll cut your head off, which will do the trick nicely. Then, of course, my loyal acolyte should be done with his sacrifice, and I can retrieve him and have him come here and kill all your followers, so I can gather more power. Just for fun.” Alitius grinned broadly, and the stake prodded at Bel again. Bel only turned his head away and said nothing.


Chapter 70