Sea Monsters and Other Delicacies by David Sinden

cowards!” Baron Marackai called.
    Franco Ravioli got up from the floor, rubbing his head. He ran out of the warehouse. “I never cook for you again!”
    From his coat pocket, the Baron took out a pistol and loaded it with a shiny bullet. “You’re giving me indigestion, werewolf,” he said.
    He cocked the trigger, pointing the pistol at Ulf. “Prepare to die!”
    But as the Baron fired, a tentacle whipped in front of Ulf and the bullet ricocheted off its barnacles.
    The sea monster was pulling itself along the floor by its suckers. It was sliding toward the Baron. It crashed a tentacle down onto the table, smashing it to pieces. Wood, glass, plates and cutlery flew in all directions.
    Baron Marackai quickly loaded more bullets into his pistol and started shooting at the sea monster. “Get it away from me!” he shouted.
    The bullets bounced off the sea monster’s shell. It wrapped a tentacle around the Baron’s waist.
    â€œNoooo!” the Baron cried, bashing the tentacle with his empty gun. He threw the gun down and started pulling at the suckers. The sea monster was dragging itself to the open end of the warehouse, heading for the sea. The tentacle lifted him into the air.
    â€œPut me dow—” The Baron’s head banged on a sign saying LOADING AREA—DANGER OF FALLING ! The tentacle gripping him reached out through the open doors, dangling the Baron high above the sea.
    With a loud bellow the sea monster dragged itself out of the warehouse and over the edge of the oil rig, taking Baron Marackai with it.
    Ulf looked down. By the light of the full moon, he could see Baron Marackai falling, held in the grip of the sea monster.
    â€œI’ll be baaaaaaaaaack!” the Baron screamed.
    There was a loud splash as the sea monster and the Baron disappeared beneath the waves.

    Ulf licked his fangs and growled.
    Tiana hovered beside him. “Good riddance,” she said, looking down into the water.
    Just out from the oil rig, Ulf saw Blud, Bone and the fat chef motoring away in Baron Marackai’s boat. In the sky above, he could hear the helicopter flying off with the guests.
    He ran to Dr. Fielding and bit through her ropes.
    She tore the gag from her mouth, and hugged him. “You saved us, Ulf,” she said.
    Ulf scrambled to Orson. The giant was lying on his back on the floor in a pool of hot water. He was no longer blue. He was defrosting.
    â€œWake up, Orson,” Tiana said. She was fluttering around his head, showering him with sparkles.
    Dr. Fielding put her hand on Orson’s wrist, checking his pulse. “He’s alive!” she said.
    The hot water from the cauldron had raised his body temperature. He was waking up from the icesleep. Ulf gave Orson’s face a lick. The giant’s eyes opened and he shook his head.
    â€œAre you okay?” Tiana asked him.
    â€œThat Captain makes a strong brew,” the giant said. Then he looked around. “Where are we?”
    Dr. Fielding and Tiana both smiled, and Ulf’s lip curled, showing his fangs.
    At that moment, the sound of a human voice came from the sea below. “Is everything all right up there?”
    Ulf padded to the open door and saw an orange boat on the water below. A man was shining a spotlight up at the oil rig. “What’s going on up there?” he called. It was an inspector from NICE.
    Dr. Fielding stepped to the edge and looked down. “Dr. Fielding here,” she called. “Everything’s over now.”
    â€œWho’s that you’ve got with you, Dr. Fielding?” the inspector called, shining his spotlight on Ulf.
    Ulf threw his head back and howled at the moon.

Chapter 24
    THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN ULF WOKE UP IN the straw in his den, he licked his teeth, feeling where his fangs had been. His body had returned to that of a boy. He looked out at the sky. The sun was shining. It would be a whole month until his next