Blood Harvest Read Online Free PDF Page A

his eyes as he roared a curse at the mob and then the Inquisitor.
    “Cowards! Murderers of women and children! I will see you all burn in hell for this!” William turned to the Inquisitor, “And you!” He pointed his finger at the man. “You, I will send you to hell. Even if it means my own end I shall see you there tonight!”
    The Inquisitor, now encouraged by the death of the woman, stood defiantly and held his silver crucifix before him.
    “Heathen! Demon! Your words strike no fear in me for I and all here do the Lord’s work!”
    William gently caressed Abigail’s cheek and then set her limp form back on the ground. With a flash of movement, he closed the distance between himself and the Inquisitor, so quickly that the remaining guard didn’t have time to flinch before William had the Spaniard by the throat.
    The Inquisitor made gurgling, choking sounds as William squeezed with all the strength he could muster. The Inquisitor’s face had just begun to turn a light shade of blue when the remaining guard came up behind William and struck him on the head with the window shutter. As William fell some of the mob regained its courage; several hands grabbed at William holding him fast in a kneeling position as the Inquisitor coughed while trying to get in as much air as he could.
    The Inquisitor was screaming some prayer about heathens, heretics and demons as he touched the crucifix to William’s forehead. At first, the gesture struck William as humorous; he was about to overwhelm those who were attempting to hold him down when a small flicker of orange light caused him to freeze. It was a small ember still ablaze with the remnants of flame from the inferno which had been his home. William watched the ember float on the wind and carry it straight toward his head. Realization flooded William’s mind and he quickly accepted his fate as the ember landed lightly, although otherwise unseen by all, in his hair.
    Hair that was still soaked with the turpentine and oil mixture.
    William’s hair and head ignited at the same moment the metal of the crucifix touched his forehead. The fire on top of William’s head spread rapidly to his clothes, covering William in a deadly blanket of flame. The men restraining William let go immediately, but the Inquisitor was not as lucky as his own sleeve ignited before he could pull his arm away.
    Panic now overwhelmed the mob and people began to scatter. Turning away from William, the Inquisitor desperately tried to douse the flames on his sleeve. It was a sight akin to a demon rising right out of hell to see William stand. His entire body had been saturated by the turpentine mixture and the flames instantaneously engulfed him, but William acted as if he didn’t even notice. He grabbed the remaining guard, completely ignoring the fire that was burning him alive.
    The Inquisitor had extinguished the flame on his sleeve in time to see the horror unfolding before him. William’s skin blackened and sizzled, his eyes began to boil in their sockets but he held on, undaunted, as the guard’s clothes ignited. William’s face was no longer recognizable; his mouth was spread in an insane smile. With an effort derived from sheer will, anger and hatred William dove to the ground, taking the guard down with him.
    The guard’s fanciful uniform and other personal draperies became kindling; the man screamed as his clothes caught fire and the smell of his own burning flesh filled his nostrils. The Inquisitor could only watch, helpless as his charge and their quarry burned together in a deadly embrace until the flesh of both men had completely blackened and smoldered. The guard began to convulse as William fell limply on top of him, still alight and burning. A few moments later the guard stopped thrashing and lay still along with the others who had died this evening.

    The Inquisitor whispered a quick prayer underneath a hand raised to his nose, attempting to quell the nausea threatening to overwhelm