Read Online Red Serpent: The Falsifier by Delson Armstrong - Free Book Online

layering of his body dissolved, revealing his pale muscular body and face. Nikolas smiled.
    “Oh, my dear father,” Daniel said, “how much you try in vain to persuade me to join you. But look now who is the victor and who is the fallen. I have finally squashed your Rebellion, and now you will work for me!”
    “Or rather for your king? Is it not so?” Nikolas looked at Erik with disgust. “I should have killed you when I had the chance. Perhaps things would have been different.”
    “Do you really think the humans would have let you all stay inside the Regnum?” Erik scoffed.
    “Never mind that!” Nikolas’s voice reverberated through the room, “I know for sure what General Howe would have wanted and what he still wants.”
    “General Howe is nothing but a rogue human who couldn’t even control his own battalion!” Erik laughed in Nikolas’s face, his sour breath hitting Nikolas’s nose like a punch.
    “You cannot judge him,” said Nikolas, “because of that one battle.”
    “Why must you always talk of the past, both of you?” Daniel said. “Mikhail,” he turned to his secretary and snapped his fingers. “Are the ships ready?”
    “Another four minutes and twenty seconds, sir.” He said, checking his watch.
    “Alright, get these soldiers ready,” Daniel said loudly to the scientists. He addressed his secretary once more, “And I want you to get the others ready and send a report to the council.”
    “Right away, sir.” Mikhail bowed and hurried to do his superior’s bidding.
    “You know this will mean war,” said Nikolas.
    “Precisely father,” said Daniel, “Your mission will be to get the Falsifier. After that, there will be war, but with the Falsifier on our side, we will have destroyed everything even before Anaxagoras comes.”
    “Lord Anaxagoras,” Erik corrected him.
    “Yes, Lord Anaxagoras.” Daniel said, glaring at the vizier coldly in the eyes.
    Nikolas laughed, “You have no idea who the Falsifier is, do you? You think it’s some mutation in the genetic code of the vampiric DNA. Well, it isn’t. The Falsifier is vampiric and he’s something else as well.”
    “What? Human?” Daniel laughed back, “It’s impossible to have a Vampiric Human.”
    “All things were possible with Aidan,” Nikolas said, his eyes glazing in the light.
    “What do you mean by that?” Erik said, almost baring his teeth.
    “Oh, you shall see. You want this mission completed, so be it. But you’ll soon discover that all this time you were wrong. Imagine, a vampire in the Regnum,” Nikolas spat.
    “Well, it’s possible. Everyone knows the Falsifier will come from the humans but behave like a vampire. Besides, we have found a vampire in the Regnum.”
    Nikolas’s eyes widened. “What?”
    “Yes.” Erik said. “Our ships were near the spatial border a few hours ago. They were taking thermal imagery of the Regnum, when they spotted a life-form. The being they saw didn’t have normal human heat. Its temperature fluctuated due to an innate part of its structure. It’s the Falsifier.”
    “You may be right. You may not.” Nikolas said. “But you still don’t know the whole truth.”
    “Just imagine.” Daniel said. “When we find the Falsifier, we will be able to be like him. We can splice his DNA with ours and become truly immortal.”
    Mikhail hurried in and reported, “Sir, all the soldiers have been transported into the ship. We are ready to launch at your command.”
    “Good. Go outside and wait for me,” Daniel said, turning to the vizier, “And Erik.”
    Erik turned to face Daniel.
    “Please leave with Mikhail.” Daniel gestured. “I have something to tell my father.”
    Erik responded, “Whatever you tell him can be said in front of me.”
    “Erik,” Daniel said looking into his eyes, “I’m requesting you. That’s not something I usually do.”
    “Are you flattering me? Do you think I need that? I’m the vizier of the King! You can’t talk to me like