Book excerpt: The Carpathian Mountains have long stood as the jewel of Eastern Europe, with their magnificent peaks, steeped in folklore and mystery. But in the village of Gura Haith, something lurks in the night, screaming out in maddening hunger. Now, Nelu, one of the village's most skilled hunters, tries to devise a plan to eliminate what has become a threat to the lives of everyone in the small mountain village. However, it is also haunted by the presence of a small girl, rescued from the mountains by a hunting party. Yet, with Nelu's plan having failed, only one option remains for the centuries-old village, and the results will be devastating, leaving its people locked away at night, with few remaining choices for their survival.