The Red Thirst (4 page)

Her dress brushed across one of the candle flames and caught fire.

Ana fell into her coffin face down and lay still. Soon the whole coffin was in flames.

Edgar stood by the window, shaking.

He looked out. There was no more chanting.

The villagers looked worn out and confused. It was as if they had just woken up from a bad dream.

The vampire's spell was broken!

One by one they turned and began to walk slowly away until only Mr Blood was left.

“Well done, my boy! Very, very well done!” Mr Blood said, clapping his hands.

Edgar could not speak. Mary sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes. “Did I miss anything?” she said.

Edgar glared at her. “Did you miss anything?” he croaked. “Did you
miss
anything? That is just like you!”

Copyright © 2013 A & C Black

This electronic edition published in May 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing

Text copyright © 2013 Benjamin Hulme-Cross
Illustrations copyright © 2013 Nelson Evergreen

First published 2013 by
A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square,
London, WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com

The right of Benjamin Hulme-Cross and Nelson Evergreen to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

eISBN 978-1-4081-8094-5 (e-book)

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