"Derek Paterson - The Kaiserine's Champion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paterson Derek)

started talking. She told me her name was Fr├дulein Ulrike Dornier, and that she was soon to be married
to a sea captain who commanded one of the new ironclads of the Kaiserine's Imperial High Seas Fleet.
They planned to live in the port of Bremhagen and raise six children. In return, I told her I'd been recently
invalided out of the Army because of the chest wound I'd sustained in Moskovia, and was journeying to
 High Sazburg to seek employment. A cousin who lived in the city had written to tell me that merchants
were always looking for trustworthy bodyguards, and Army veterans received preferential consideration.
I'd been exercising steadily since my release from the military infirmary, fencing twice a day to build up
my strength and stamina. My shortness of breath only became a problem if I had to exert myself for
prolonged periods.

We were getting along famously until I lifted the curtain to see where we were on the mountain road. A
shaft of light from the rising moon struck Fr├дulein Dornier and she recoiled from the window in shocked
surprise. In the space of a single heartbeat she changed from a beautiful young woman to a snarling harpy
with cat eyes and fangs as long as my fingers. She lunged at me, pinning me against my seat with fantastic
strength. I tried to break free, but couldn't. Her mouth opened wider than it should have been able to; her
fangs grazed my neckтАФ

I opened my eyes. Thenck and Schmidt were staring at me dispassionately, as if I were a specimen
insect under the lens of a microscope, my wings spread and pinned, my belly ripe for the scalpel. I could
only marvel at what Schmidt had done. My attacker had somehow concealed my recollection of her
assault, but whatever Schmidt had given me had torn away her deception, revealing the entire disgusting
business.

"Now do you remember what happened?тАЭ Thenck asked.

"Yes,тАЭ I said. тАЬI remember only too well. There wasтАФa woman. Or at least, I thought she was a
woman..."

"She was vampyre,тАЭ Schmidt said, matter-of-factly. тАЬShe did not drink enough of your blood to kill you,
therefore you are still alive, and still human. Had she drained you sufficiently for death to occur, you
would now be vampyre yourself.тАЭ He took off his spectacles and began cleaning the thick lenses with the
end of his officer's sash. тАЬOr, if she did not wish you to become vampyre at the moment of your death,
you would have become a mindless undead zombie instead, rotting slowly until your body eventually fell
apart. A far worse fate, as I'm sure you'll agree?"

I touched my neck, and detected a ridge of healed flesh which I hadn't even noticed before.She was
vampyre. A shudder ran down my spine as the full implications of Schmidt's words came to me.

"Explain the gift to Herr Manfred,тАЭ Thenck said.

Schmidt nodded. тАЬWhen the vampyre bites its victim, not only does it extract blood upon which it
feedsтАФsome of its own bodily fluids enter the victim. This exchange prepares the victim for the
extraordinary physical changes which will come about if and when said victim dies and becomes
vampyre. The victim's strength is increased and his or her senses become sharper, enhanced far beyond
normality. This is known as the vampyre's gift. It only lasts for a period of days, and will fade completely
if the vampyre does not return to finish its dirty work."

Given what I now knew, I had no reason to suppose he might be lying.

"I believe,тАЭ Thenck said, тАЬthis explains how you were able to fend off the Duke's Wardens in the alley.