Authors: Benjamin Hulme-Cross
The Dark Hunter
Mr Daniel Blood is the Dark Hunter.
People call him to fight evil demons,
vampires and ghosts.
Edgar and Mary help Mr Blood
with his work.
The three hunters need to be strong and
clever to survive...
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Mary, Edgar and Mr Blood sat in the small boat. A boatman was rowing them out to an island.
Mary could see the island in the distance. It looked like a scary, grey shadow in the white mist.
The Sheriff of the island had asked Mr Blood for help. He said there was a werewolf on the island. Mr Blood was a famous werewolf hunter.
Mary was excited.
This is just the sort of place to find a werewolf
, she thought.
Edgar was being sick over the side of the boat.
“Cheer up, Edgar,” Mary said. “We're nearly there. Then the hunt for the werewolf begins!”
“That doesn't make me feel better,” groaned Edgar.
Mr Blood smiled at Edgar and Mary. He was cleaning his crossbow.
The boatman did not speak. He had said nothing all day.
“I have hunted many werewolves,” said Mr Blood. “They are quite easy to kill. They are fast and fierce. But silver kills them at once.”
He wiped down his silver-tipped arrows.
“You must be joking,” said Edgar. “Werewolves are half human and half wolf. They are evil. They eat people alive. Maybe your silver arrows will kill them. But it won't be
easy
!”
“The thing about werewolves,” said the boatman, “is that they can't swim.”
Mr Blood, Mary and Edgar all turned and looked at him.
“I know that,” said Mr Blood. “How do
you
know that?”
But the boatman didn't answer.
“Thank goodness!” said Edgar. “We're here.”
They had reached a small harbour.
The boatman would not row right up to the beach. “You get out here,” he said. “I will not go closer.”
Edgar looked at the sandy beach. He gave a gasp of horror.
The beach was covered with bones.
“Mr Blood?” called a man on the beach. He was tall and dark-haired and he had a huge moustache.
“I'm the Sheriff,” he said. “We have been waiting for you. I didn't know you would bring helpers. It is nice to see children here.”
Mr Blood, Edgar and Mary jumped out of the boat and splashed through the water to the beach. At once, the boatman rowed away.
Edgar and Mary stared at the bones. The Sheriff laughed.
“A grim sight, isn't it?” he said. “We killed a lot of seals this summer. Let me take you up to the village.”
They made their way up from the beach along a thin track. Mr Blood and the Sheriff walked ahead.
“Don't you think it's odd?” hissed Edgar to Mary. “Why did they leave bones all over the beach?”
“Maybe they haven't had time to clear up?” said Mary.
“Hmm,” said Edgar. He thought something was wrong.