The Contest — David Lynn Golemon

An ancient evil lurks on the American frontier, and seven contestants from around the world must compete to eradicate it. In 1865, from a law office in Paris, seven ornate envelopes are sent to the most fearsome killers around the world, a samurai, sharpshooter, war hero, and serial killer among the recipients. Inside the gilded envelopes is a letter inviting each of them to participate in the contest of a lifetime. On the cold plains of the American frontier there roams a beast. Kill it and the million dollar prize is theirs.  Despite mystery shrouding the competition's host, each man agrees to participate. But when the contestants arrive for the hunt, they soon realize there's more to this Contest than meets the eye. Strange sounds float across the plains, warning of otherworldly threat. Their target is not a mere animal but a fearsome beast of legend hunting them in return. Can the contestants survive the cold, creatures, and each other long enough to kill the beast? Or will they soon find they were right to fear the dark?