The Nachtreider - the Vampire Warrior (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798235132221)

Gregor, a peasant farmer, is arrested for the murder of Baron Huebart Rockmorge. Huebart's younger brother Robart sentences Gregor to death by torture. Robart, the new baron, wants to make an example of Gregor in order to eliminate all thought that he killed his brother to inherit the powerful baronage, as well as to discourage any other peasant from attacking those of noble birth. After nine days of agony in Robart's torture machine, 'The God of Pain', Gregor is rescued by the legendary Lilitu, the first vampire. She transforms Gregor into a nachtreider, a kind of vampire that maintains his human personality and memory through the transformation, the kind of vampire she is.
After three days in the grave Gregor rises with new powers: superhuman strength and speed and the ability to transform to a bat or wolf. Gregor, enraged by his mistreatment, schemes to destroy the evil baron. Lilitu, however, can't allow him to do this. She has to form an alliance that includes Gregor, herself, and Baron Rockmorge. Lilitu needs them working together to defeat her ancient enemy, the Verdalack Quentinella and her vast armies of verdorts, thralls and human warriors. The Verdalack has three nachtreiders in her employ: Valena, Carmilla and Borneo, each created by Lilitu by mistake.
The Verdalack seeks to capture Lilitu and use her blood to create more nachtreiders. Of the more than one-thousand daylight resting places Lilitu had, all but three have been discovered and destroyed by the Verdalack and her minions. The only place that the Verdalack cannot reach her by day is the mountain fortress of Baron Rockmorge. If the nearly impervious castle of the Rockmorges is taken, then Lilitu is lost. Lilitu cannot make a nachtreider out of just anyone, they must have the right blood, and be willing to forgo the promise of heaven to make the transformation. Gregor's desire for revenge against the baron drove him to become a nachtreider, the very ambition he must give up in order to fight an enemy he never heard of before.