Dark-Hunter is a term from a paranormal romance and fantasy series by Sherrilyn Kenyon.[1][2] Kenyon began writing the series in 1986 in horror, fantasy and science fiction magazines.[3]

Definition

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The Dark-Hunters are immortal warriors who sell their souls to the Greek goddess Artemis for an Act of Vengeance against the one who murdered them.[3] Once they've had their revenge, they are dedicated to defending mankind against Daimons (a psychic race cursed by Apollo)[4] and other preternatural enemies.

She knew of Acheron's love and compassion for humans and his unwillingness to allow others to suffer when he could stop it. Knowing this, she created her immortal warriors and manipulated him into leading, training, and being responsible for them. Not just anyone may become a Dark Hunter, nor is the process easy.

A person must die as the direct result of a terrible betrayal, such as their best friend or a family member killing them in a brutal way. At the moment of their death, their soul will cry out for vengeance loudly enough to be heard by Artemis on Mount Olympus. Upon arriving, she offers the person a choice: true death or trading their soul to her to be resurrected as a Dark Hunter. In exchange for their soul and service in her Dark Hunter army, Artemis gives them 24 hours to seek their revenge against those who betrayed them. After those 24 hours are up, they must do their duty to mankind and hunt down the Daimons that prey on the humans.

When a Dark Hunter slays a Daimon, they release any human souls that the Daimon has stolen, provided that the Dark Hunter finds the Daimon fast enough. If the Daimon is not slain soon after taking the human's soul, the soul will die from being in the wrong vessel and be unable to pass onto whichever afterlife they were meant to go to upon their death.

The Dark Hunters work individually, each of them having a territory to watch over. They cannot be in close proximity to each other for more than a short amount of time without draining each other's powers. Also, any physical harm caused by one Dark Hunter to another will cause the first Dark Hunter to suffer the same physical pain or hurt tenfold.

The Dark Hunters are night dwelling immortals who cannot be in sunlight (as Apollo cursed the Daimons with not being able to go out in the sunlight so too did Artemis leave the Dark Hunters with the inability to stand sunlight). They were made to be similar to the Daimons that they hunt so that they would be better able to hunt, battle, and kill them. They have fangs, super sensitive senses, and various psychic powers.

Novels

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Dark # L.O.A. # Were # Dream # Hellchaser # C.O.N. # Shadows Of Fire # Title Characters Publication Date
1 -- -- -- Dark-Hunters (formerly Fantasy Lover) Julian and Grace February 2, 2002
2 -- -- -- Night Pleasures Kyrian and Amanda September 1, 2002
3 -- -- -- Night Embrace Talon and Sunshine July 1, 2003
4 -- -- -- Dance with the Devil Zarek and Astrid December 1, 2003
5 -- -- -- Kiss of the Night Wulf and Cassandra March 23,

2004

5.5 1 -- -- Sword Of Darkness Kerrigan & Seren March 28, 2005
5.75 2 -- -- Knight Of Darkness Varian and Merewyn November 1, 2006
6 -- 1 -- Night Play Vane and Bride August 3, 2004
7 -- -- -- Seize the Night Valerius and Tabitha December 28, 2004
8 -- -- -- Sins of the Night Alexion and Danger June 28, 2005
9 -- 2 -- Unleash the Night Wren and Maggie December 27, 2005
10 -- 3 -- Dark Side of the Moon Ravyn and Susan May 30, 2006
11 -- -- 1 The Dream-Hunter Arik and Geary February 6, 2007
12 -- -- -- Devil May Cry Sin and Kat July 31, 2007
13 -- -- 2 Upon The Midnight Clear Aidan and Leta October 30, 2007
14 -- -- 3 Dream Chaser Xypher and Simone February 5, 2008
15 -- -- -- Acheron Acheron and Soteria/Tory August 4, 2008
16 -- -- -- One Silent Night Stryker and Zephyra November 25, 2008
17 -- -- 4 Dream Warrior Jericho and Delphine February 3, 2009
18 -- 4 -- 1 Bad Moon Rising Fang and Aimee August 4, 2009
18.5 -- -- -- 1 Infinity
19 -- 5 -- No Mercy Dev and Samia September 7, 2010
19.5 -- -- -- 2 Invincible
20 -- 6 -- Retribution Sundown and Abigail August 2, 2011
21 -- 7 5 2 The Guardian Seth and Lydia November 1, 2011
21.5 -- -- -- 3 Infamous
22 -- 8 -- Time Untime Ren and Kateri August 7, 2012
22.5 -- -- -- 4 Inferno
23 -- -- -- Styxx Styxx and Bethany September 3, 2013
23.5 -- -- -- 5 Illusion
23.75 -- -- -- Dark Bites Collection of short stories January 21, 2014
24 3 9 -- 3 Son of No One Cadegan and Jo September 2, 2014
24.5 -- -- -- 6 Instinct
25 4 10 -- 4 Dragonbane Maxis and Seraphina August 4, 2015
25.5 -- -- -- 7 Invision
26 5 11 -- Dragonmark Illarion and Edilyn August 2, 2016
27 -- -- -- 5 Deadmen Walking Bane and Mara
28 6 12 -- Dragonsworn Falcyn and Medea August 1, 2017
28.5 -- -- -- 8 Intensity
29 -- -- -- 6 Death Doesn't Bargain Kalder and Cameron
30 7 13 -- Stygian Urian and Sarraxyn September 3, 2018
31 -- -- -- 7 At Death's Door Valynda and

Short stories and novelettes

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  1. "The Beginning" (2002)
  2. "Dragonswan" (July 1, 2002)
  3. "Phantom Lover", in the anthology Midnight Pleasures (November 2003)
  4. "A Dark-Hunter Christmas", also in the back of Dance with the Devil (December 2003)
  5. "Winter Born", in the anthology Stroke of Midnight (October 2004)
  6. "Second Chances", free giveaway (2005)
  7. "A Hard Day's Night-Searcher", in the anthology My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (October 3, 2006)
  8. "Until Death We Do Part", in the anthology Love At First Bite (October 3, 2006)
  9. "Fear the Darkness", free e-book (January 2007)
  10. "Shadow of the Moon," in the anthology "Dead after Dark" (December 1, 2008)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ . St. Martins. Press Release. February 3, 2002. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ . TOR. Press Release. May 2, 2016. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ Author site http://sherrilynkenyon.com. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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