Read Judas and the Vampires for Free Online

not sure. He’s been spending a lot of time in Iran during the last few months, especially to the north.”
    “Maybe he’s trying to get in on the oil reserves before the rest of the world tries to make peace with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
    I allowed myself a short chuckle as I pictured the array of Islamic hoops Mr. Stanislav would certainly have to go through to become best buddies with the current Iranian president. Say goodbye, Petr, to your family’s longstanding affection for the Russian Orthodox faith. Won’t that be fun!
    “Possibly, since his family has long held an interest in procuring the lion share from what the Baku oil fields yield annually.... But it might be more than minerals and raw resources he’s after,” said Mike. “I mentioned the Alborz Mountains for a reason. Whether it is oil shale or mineral deposits he’s after, our satellites have spotted some heavy machinery. All of the equipment has either been transported from Russia via the Caspian Sea, or funded through other sources and then delivered to the mountains.”
    “So...it’s all free enterprise shit that you’re worried about, correct? And, as easy as it is to gather that kind of information, why do you need anyone to risk life and limb for it?”
    Really, I’d be willing to take a moment to check out this Stanislav guy on my own. I’m always curious about the silly projects in which the rich and powerful immerse themselves. Even if it were just for a day while Alistair and I were in Iran, I’d love to see what kind of equipment and crews had been brought to the Alborz.
    “There is one other thing...and it’s pretty weird,” Mike confided. He lowered his voice as if this wasn’t something intended for Teddy the ugly-toothed driver’s ears. “In all likelihood, Petr Stanislav is simply procuring minerals to further his wealth—something we’re not happy with but it’s definitely legal. But, several sources have confirmed another possible motive.”
    “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
    Here’s where I expected to hear about high-tech weaponry or mineral hording.
    “He’s searching for the Garden of Eden—literally.”
    The somber look on his face made me want to burst out laughing. Absurd notion, and a tough deal to swallow...and I did snicker slightly.
    “I’m serious,” he said, indignantly. Just like that, the twinkling light in his brown eyes fizzled and faded. “Stanislav apparently thinks it’s hidden inside one of the mountains.”
    “Inside a mountain? That’s a new one…. But even if that were true, he’s in the wrong country. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are in Iraq.”
    “Yes, they are.” Mike’s tone iced a little after my stating the obvious. “Apparently Stanislav has obtained an ancient Tibetan text that mimics the older books of the Hebrew Talmud...except the rivers are different. According to our sources in St Petersburg, he has determined through painstaking translations that the actual rivers to the eternal garden have changed location and flow paths over the millennia. The rivers as they are known today are the southern thrust of the Volga River from the north; the Amu Darva, or Oxus, from the east; and the Kura River from the west.”
    “Don’t they all empty into the Caspian Sea?” I couldn’t contain my second derisive snicker.
    “Yes, they do,” said Mike, whose irritated look announced he was no longer in the mood for my jokes that evening. “This means, of course, that a ‘Garden of Eden’ or any other kind of garden couldn’t exist, since it would be submerged under water. And we know the Caspian Sea was formed more than five million years ago. Thus, at first glance it seems completely unlikely the inscribed papyri obtained by Stanislav is accurate.”
    “So it seems,” I agreed, hoping that a confirmation of his point would lessen the ire directed at me. “What’s the connection between this and digging in the mountains?”
    “It’s inferred from other details