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

“Ah, of course. Forgive me for the sexist assumption.”


“It’s fine. But yeah. I follow the goddess. Usually in her mother aspect.”


“You two live around here?” asked Mary, unable to keep from prodding just a little more at the weirdness. “I noticed there’s no other car down in the parking lot.”


“We live quite nearby,” said Raphael with a nod. “We enjoy walking over to the hill to spend some time simply doing nothing, from time to time. It’s peaceful.”


“It is.” Mary glanced across the hill and noticed that the gaggle of tourists was approaching. “Though the peace is about to be broken by about a bunch of old farts.” She made a face. “If I’d known we’d be the only people under fifty on this tour I might have skipped it.”


Raphael chuckled. “We’ll endure somehow. I’m sure they’re not that bad.”


“You’re not the one who’s been crammed into a bus with them all day. But yeah, I guess they’re okay.”


Chapter 79