"First, Brett, call me Caitlin," she interrupted when they spoke for the first time on the phone. "Second, I am already somewhat familiar with the matters of which you speak. I have an on line friend near Las Vegas, Nathaniel, a fellow Native American. He has been filling me in on some of this. I believe your Mr. Davis has also spoken with Nathaniel. Brett, I'll go with you or help any other way I can. Fascinating stuff. I'll tell you what, I have to leave now
for an appointment. Call me back this evening with your game plan. Where you want to meet, when we fly to Vegas. Whatever. I will change my schedule any way necessary to do this thing. Hey, I'm ready to go tomorrow." Click. She didn't even wait for goodbye.

This woman is something else Brett thought. Confirmed what he had found out before he called her for the first time. He contacted some of his colleagues who knew her and talked to other sources of a more clandestine nature, like his friend with the FBI. The consensus was she was quite brilliant, and a real looker some were quick to add.

Brett found out Caitlin was a Seneca, born on a reservation, actually in the only city which lies within a reservation, Salamanca, New York. She was one of the more than five hundred now living descendants of the great Seneca chief, Cornplanter. Chief Cornplanter's mother was a Seneca and his father was an Irishman, or so most said. Brett's friend at Harvard told him Caitlin had extraordinarily red hair and one would think she was a sassy Irish lass but for her rather dark complexion, buckskin garb and braids that usually hung over her breasts. And they said she had the most startling blue eyes.

Caitlin was a professor at the Harvard Divinity School on indefinite sabbatical to complete her book, of which she would tell no one of the subject matter. She had been teaching courses on comparative religions and Native American studies. Being fluent in Hebrew and Greek, among other languages, she occasionally taught a language course when the dean said he needed her.

Dr. Cornplanter was also a lecturer at the Chautauqua Institution during summers. It wasn't far from her home, and as Brett recalled from his several visits, it was one of the most intellectually and spiritually stimulating environments he had ever experienced. Art, drama, religion, history, music. Chautauqua had the best of everything Brett reminisced fondly.

Brett made reservations to fly to Las Vegas the following evening. He decided he and Caitlin should fly out of Cleveland, which was about an equal distance for each of them. He called her back and the itinerary met with approval. The United flight was scheduled to depart Cleveland's Hopkins International Airport at 8:20 p.m.

It took Brett about three hours to drive from Columbus to Cleveland and he had figured it would take Caitlin about the same to drive from Salamanca. He spotted her immediately. She was standing in line to check her luggage and when she saw him waving and gesturing she got out of line and joined him at the rear.

Brett was shocked. Caitlin was even more exotic and beautiful than he had been led to believe. And his friends were very right about those blue eyes. Extraordinary. He extended his hand and he was very surprised by the strength and warmth of her hand. And then she really startled him when she hugged him and pecked him on the cheek.

"Oh, c'mon, Brett, we are going to be friends, good friends. No need to be so formal. Hey, and I'm not flirting! You told me on the phone you are happily married and have two great kids, right? Not to worry. I won't seduce you." That certainly broke the ice, they both laughed and others standing in line smiled and smirked.

They chatted as they checked their luggage and eventually boarded the plane. Caitlin insisted she did not want to talk about "the case" until they got to Las Vegas and met with Jack Davis. "I don't want to repeat myself," she emphasized. Brett had told Caitlin briefly about the women who had mysteriously disappeared but not about the Lilith murders. Jack had told him not to yet.

When they were seated Brett closed his eyes and asked, "Caitlin, would you tell me about Chautauqua? I simply have to get there again soon. Haven't been there for a couple years."

"First, let me tell you a humorous story. Good thing I'm not blonde! A friend told me the President and First Lady bought a house in Chautauqua. He heard it on the Rush Limbaugh show. Well, I'm in total shock until I find out their new home is in Chappaqua. Duh! And here I was all ready to go for a drive and find their new house."

"Brett, you have to stay at the Athenaem Hotel for a few nights at least. What an atmosphere! Sure it costs over $300 a night for a double but it's worth it. Even though I don't live far from the Chautauqua Institution, I always stay at the Athaneum for at least a week in the summer. I pick the week when the most interesting activities, at least for me, are happening."

Caitlin continued, "Before I even get to the summer 2,000 schedule, Chautauqua is hosting 'God at 2,000' in February at Oregon State University. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Joan Chittister, a Benedictine sister and author of many books, are only a few of the speakers whose names you will recognize to be featured. This will be a technology even with many linked via teleconferencing. Regarding the summer 2,000 schedule, I have been asked to participate in the 'World Peace Without Religious Peace?" forum beginning July 30."

Brett had fallen asleep. Caitlin picked up Brett's briefcase and perused the contents, settling on the folder marked Lilith File for closer examination. She closed her eyes and muttered to herself, "What in the hell am I getting into here I wonder."

They landed at Las Vegas McCarran airport and departed the plane. Jack Davis was waiting for them. Brett greeted his friend warmly and introduced Dr. Cornplanter.

"Pleeeese, Brett. Call me Caitlin, Mr. Davis, and I'll call you Jack." She thought he looked very dangerous in more ways than one. Quite weathered but handsome and the sort one does not cross.

Jack took them to the hotel and to their rooms. He had already taken care of all the registration formalities.

The three of them decided to get right to business and got together for a meeting in Jack's room an hour later. Caitlin commented glibly that she got much smarter much quicker when she had some firewater. Jack laughed and brought out the Killian's Red he liked and just happened to have on ice. He twisted open three bottles.

"Hey, it almost matches my hair and who says men prefer blondes?" she asked with a grin and took a big swig out of the bottle, ignoring the glass Jack had set in front of her.

Caitlin then began with, "You are the boss, Jack Davis. Obviously you want to ask me questions or I wouldn't be here. Ask away. I suppose the blanks will be filled in for me as we go along. That's fine. Shoot away, cowboy!" He was taken aback but very pleased with her direct manner.

"Bang, bang!" Jack startled Caitlin as he pointed his finger at her and simulated shooting with his index finger. "Talking about banging, let me summarize the incidents I have thus far investigated before I start with the questions."

"Laurie Johnston was the first woman who was seduced by a tall Harley riding stranger. His name was Danel. This occurred in Pahrump, about sixty- five miles west of Las Vegas. Pahrump, former home of $7 billion in buried silver bars belonging to the infamous and now dead Ted Binion. Laurie disappeared disappeared on or about September 7 although the assignation with Danel apparently occurred about three weeks earlier. Laurie is the wife of a rapture preaching fundamentalist bible thumper who also owns a software consulting business. Danel and Laurie were seen together by, among others, Joshua Marshall, from whom he bought a Harley, by Laurie's daughter Rachael and by Nathaniel, a friend of Joshua's."

"Alicia Dunn was the second mysterious disappearance. She is from Salt Lake City, four hundred and some miles northeast of Las Vegas, and ran off with one of Danel's brethren, Ezequeel, on or about October 2. This Ezequeel and Danel were seen together a week before Alicia's disappearance, when Danel purchased the Harley on which Alicia rode off with Ezequeel. So we see the obvious connection between Alicia and Laurie. Alicia was wife number three of a polygamist and leader of a pseudo-Mormon religious organization. Her husband also fronted numerous church corporations involved in computer related technology."

"The third mysterious disappearance was Kathleen Murray of Denver, 500 miles east of Salt Lake City and 750 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the sister of a priest. Her Harley biker's name was Sariel and she left with him for whereabouts unknown on or about October 16. Her brother the priest was also involved with computers and the internet. He has been indicted along with several other priests for disseminating child pornography."

Rebecca Zeigler from Alburquerque, 450 miles south of Denver and 600 miles east of Las Vegas, is the fourth mysterious disappearance. She was a disc jockey and sang in a band called the Rephraim. Rebecca rode off on the back of a Harley belonging to a big guy named Bariqijal on or about November 5. Rebecca's husband is CEO of a local Internet Service Provider and directed the local Albuquerque Promise Keepers group."

"Now, connect the dots with lines between Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Denver and Albuquerque." Jack pulled out the map he had in his briefcase. "Looks like we are coming full circle here. If I was a betting man I'd bet on Las Vegas, or is that in Las Vegas? The road leads back to Las Vegas or thereabouts. Actually, I predict we will soon discover some activities of this strange motorcycle gang of locusts parts west of Las Vegas. Particularly Los Angeles. But I think Las Vegas will still be our vocal point. Just a hunch."

"Now for my questions. OK, Caitlin, tell me what you know about the names Danel, Ezequeel, Bariqijal, Sariel and The Book of Enoch."

"Well obviously, Jack, you must know something about the subject, so stop me if I start telling you what you already know. Let me use your notebook computer over there so I can get this stuff on line and quote directly from it."

Soon she did. "This is the R.H. Charles translation of The Book of Enoch I am viewing. Reading from Enoch 6:7&8, it lists the names of the leaders of the fallen angels who came to earth to mate with earthly women, 'And these are the names of their leaders: Samazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kobablel, Tamlel, Ramel, Danel, Ezequeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqlel, Samspeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.' That's where you can find these names."

"Let me digress and give you a private lesson on the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha. The Apocrypha are books which appeared in English bibles from around 1300 for several hundred years. These books, like 1 & 2 Maccabees were part of the Greek Septuagint but were not part of any Hebrew bible, which is why they were taken out of many English bibles. Much of the Apocrypha today remains in Catholic translations but has been removed from most other English translations."

"The Pseudepigrapha are works that are attributed to a biblical character. The Book of Enoch is the longest such work and, most importantly, was lost for fifteen years. Then a partial Greek translation was discovered in Egypt, several Ethiopic translations were found and more recently within the body of fragments known as the Dead Sea Scrolls were partial Aramaic portions."

"The next chapter of The Book of Enoch goes on to tell how these fallen angels took earthly women for their playmates. Enoch 7:1-3, 'And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants ... ''Let me get the bible out of the dresser drawer. Every hotel and motel room has one. Oh, good, a King James Version."

"Now, Jack, what I am saying I know Brett has heard before from various sources. I am repeating a theory, an explanation of scripture which some believe and preach. Here, let me show you."

The TV was connected to satellite. Caitlin flipped the channel to S3-20. "That's Dr. Gene Scott." She flipped the channel to G6-16. "That's Dr. Arnold Murray. Both these guys preach this business about the fallen angels.
Check it out. Get some of their tapes and other material. Their ministry programs are on twenty-four hours a day and reach millions. Also search on the net for Enoch and the Nephilim and read all about. I'm not doing all your homework for you."

"The Book of Enoch elaborates on the story told in Genesis 6 about the sons of God, whom are properly termed Nephilim, as are their offspring. Some of the offspring, due to genetic differences, are termed throughout the Bible as Rephaim, Emim, Anakim, Giborim and several other names."

Caitlin paused and finished her beer quickly. "Hey, this powwow is making me thirsty. Can I have another one." Jack jumped up quickly and went to fetch. He was getting very interested in this story.

"Now, remember, this is a theory, I'm not saying whether I believe it or not," and with that she winked at the both of them. "Some say that the fallen angels will be released from the bottomless pit of Revelation 9 at the fifth trumpet. Some say the Nephilim, the fallen angels, are the 'locusts' of verse 3. They can hurt only those men who 'have not the seal of God in their foreheads' according to verse 4. These men who are hurt, will be, according to verse 5, 'tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man.' And in verse 6, these 'men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.' What do you think, guys, pretty exciting stuff, huh?"

"Let's talk about locusts for a moment. Locusts, the Acrididae family, Orthoptera order, are used throughout the bible to symbolize God's judgement. Locusts appear in the bible in conjunction with moral indiscretion, demonic activities and spiritual tribulation. What is usually the result of a scorpion's sting? Not usually death but much pain. Swelling, troubled breathing, twitching, drooling, slurred speech and gut wrenching cramps. How do you suppose the fallen angels will hurt men, torment them, but not kill them? Is the hurt and the pain psychosomatic? Do the Nephilim seduce the daughters, sisters, wives and lovers of these men and impregnate them? Some say that Matthew 24:36 & 37 and Luke 17:26 & 27 mean exactly that. What happened in the days of Noah and what provoked the Flood will happen again so they say."

Caitlin called up a King James Version of the bible on Jack's computer. "We already talked about Genesis 6 and the Nephilim. Let's see what else in the bible tells us about these fallen angels and the giants who were their offspring. In Genesis 14:5 we see the Rephaim, the Zuzims and Emims, all branches of the Nephilim. The Emims also appear in Deuteronomy 2:10 and 11 and are described as giants like the Anakim. The word Emim means proud deserter. The Zuzims are the same as the Zamsumims of Deuteronomy where they are identified as Rephaim."

"Now, this Rephaim is an interesting word. It is a proper name and should have been transliterated in English bibles instead of being translated to words such as 'dead' in Isaiah 14:9 and 'deceased' in Isaiah 26:14. One of the more infamous Rephaim was Og of Bashan as we see in Deuteronomy 3:11, 'For only Og of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants ... ' Here 'giants' has been translated from the Hebrew 'Rephaim.' Og of the Rephaim is also mentioned in Joshua 12:4. In chapter 11 of Joshua we another branch of the Nephilim, the Anakims, in verse 21. Verse 22 is rather enlightening, 'There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath and in Ashrod, there remained.' Do you remember who was from Gath? The giant Goliath."

"Verses like Joshua 11:22 I just quoted and Genesis 6:4, 'There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of reknown.' Did you catch the 'also after that' part?"

"I don't find the concept of the Nephilim, a term which means both the fallen angels and their offspring, having various branches, or a better word clans, such as the Rephaim, the Zuzims, the Emims, the Anakims and others. The Senecas have clans such as the bear, the turtle, the wolf and others."

Caitlin stopped. "I'm starved! Can we go out or call room service?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry, too," Brett chimed in. "Let's go out."

"Sure," Jack agreed. "I'll tell you what. Let's go to the place where the first murder took place. Maybe the aura will prompt some insights. Would either of you two mind?" They indicated no with a shake of the head.

They walked outside the hotel and Jack said, "We'll have to take a taxi. My convertible is a two-seater."

"Forget that, Jack! It's a beautiful night for a convertible ride, a short one. I'm not really that heavy, Brett. I'll sit on your lap if you don't mind." He smiled and nodded."

Jack went and got his car and picked them up at the front of the hotel. "Yeow! I love this car! One of my favorites, this Mercedes. Can I drive? I can drive a stick. Well, maybe some other time. I don't want to be responsible for you two falling in love." Caitlin started cackling and Brett and Jack couldn't help but burst out laughing. So smart and what a smart mouth is what Jack was thinking. Not your typical intellectual elite. A very down to earth and funny young woman.

When they arrived at the scene of the first crime hotel and entered the dining room, Jack asked to be seated at one of Abraham's tables. They greeted each other warmly and introductions were made. Caitlin was impressed with Jack's genuine affection for people, although she had no doubt he could be one's worst enemy if the mood struck him.

During dinner Jack repeated what Abraham had told him about Lilith and the late Dr. Masterson. Every time Abraham appeared Jack asked him to confirm a part of the story he had told. Brett asked a few questions but Caitlin hardly said anything all throughout dinner.

"Caitlin, is something wrong? You hardly have said anything for the past hour." Jack looked puzzled.

"Well, if you noticed, I have been feeding my face for the past hour and I told you I was starved. You white eyes have always starved the red man, and woman." She laughed at her own joke again. "I was listening."

"I'm ready to talk now," she stated emphatically. "But first I have to excuse myself for a few minutes. Be right back."

Caitlin didn't take her purse. Jack quickly rummaged through it much to Brett's surprise. "Just checking her out. Precautions." He partially pulled out the .357 Smith & Wesson 686 PLUS L-Frame and showed Brett with a knowing shrug.

When she returned her first words were, "Bang, bang! Love those Altamont wood grips. I know you were into my purse and that's why I left it. I should point that dang thang at you like you pointed your finger at me. Just want you to know I'm not, well, I can take care of myself. I also dabble in martial arts. Would you like a little demonstration." She dropped the subject because they both looked so sheepish.

"Jack, you and Abraham mentioned the conversation between Lilith and Dr. Masterson regarding Sasquatch and the Nephilim. Quite interesting. Not the first time I have heard it. Last February there was a program on A & E entitled The Search for the Abominable Snowman. Leonard Nimoy was the narrator and made reference to the hair covered giants of Genesis 6:4 and then in the same breath mentioned the hairy covered Esau. What do you suppose that connection is? He never explained. Leonard ends the program with 'Why does final proof seem to be beyond humanity's reach?' Perhaps because the answer is supernatural? Is there some related explanation for Neanderthal Man, Nephilim and Bigfoot? I wonder."

Jack interrupted, "Caitlin, do you have a big problem with squirrels in your part of the country? You are definitely squirrel bait. I have another question.
What do you know about a band called Fields of the Nephilim and in particular one of their songs, Watchmen?"

"Quite a bit, actually. I can sing a bit of Watchmen. Want to hear? Too bad, I'm doing it anyway. I'm in the mood. First, I want a double shot of tequila." Abraham happened to be nearby and ran and got an entire bottle and three large shot glasses. "You even got the right stuff, Abe baby, Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine. You know, the tune Jose Cuervo by Shelley West. Caitlin poured and downed a double before anyone could even propose a toast. And then she sang.

"Well it's Sunday Mornin'
And the sun is shinin'
In my eye that is open
And my head is spinnin.'
Was the life of the party
I can't stop grinnin.'
I had too much tequila last night.

Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine.
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime.
Did I kiss all the cowboys?
Did I shoot out the lights?
Did I dance on the bar?
Did I start a fight?

Now wait a minute
Things don't look too familiar.
Who is this cowboy
Who's sleepin' beside me?
He's awful cute, but how'd I get his shirt on?
I had too much tequila last night.

Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine.
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime.
Did I kiss all the cowboys?
Did I shoot out the lights.
Did I dance on the bar?
Did I start a fight?

All those little shooters
How I love to drink 'em down.
Come on bartender
Let's have another round.
Well the music is playing
And my spirits are high.
Tomorrow might be painful
But tonight we're gonna fly.

Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine.
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime.
Every time we get together
I sure have a good time.
You're my friend
You're the best
Mi amigo."

Brett and Jack were stunned. Caitlin had a fantastic voice. All who heard her were applauding and whistling in appreciation. "What are you, the Native American version of Madonna?" Brett stammered and all three choked in mirth.

Caitlin quickly downed another double shot and said, "Listen to this one," which she sang much softer.

"My life's turning pages, I see a promised day.
Watchmen never age here, they just sleep in vain.
Drowning people stare here, they don't care to call.
So I rebury the pages, Kthulhu calls ... "

"You know what that's from. Watchmen, huh? The watchers, the fallen angels, of The Book of Enoch perhaps? There is no doubt that Carl McCoy, the leader of the band and vocalist, was very influenced by scriptural accounts of the Nephilim. The other band members followed his lead."

"I do believe the name Kthulhu with a K in the song comes from Cthulhu with a C found in the horror fiction of one H.P. Lovecraft written seventy or so years ago. Cthulhu was the leader of the Great Old Ones who now lie dormant until the stars are right when they will rise and enslave humanity."

"You may have heard of Necronomicon, also known as Kithab Al Azif or The Book of the Names of the Dead. Many claim it is the most evil book ever written. One popular theory is that this book was written in the eighth century in Damascus by Abdul Alhazred. The other popular theory is that the book was merely a creation of Lovecraft to give more substance to his stories. It is rather impossible to separate the truth from the fantasy regarding this book. What is certain is that Carl McCoy and the band Field of Nephilim were deeply influenced by the Necronomicon.

"I lugged your notebook computer along, Jack, because I just knew something would come up where I'd want to get on line. I'm going to go plug this in and find something. Be right back."

Jack told Brett some further details of the two murdered professors that he did not particularly want to share with Caitlin yet. She returned in fifteen minutes.

"Listen to this. But first Jack, who the hell is this Samantha? I couldn't help but read your e-mail. Hey, you looked through my purse. And they say phone sex is hot? Geez, mawn, that girl has a thing for you! OK, OK, this is from Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu published in 1926.

'That cult would never die until the stars came right again and the secret priest would take Cthulhu from His tomb to revive His subjects and resume His rule of earth. The time would be easy to know, for then mankind would have become as the Great Old Ones; free and wild, and beyond good and evil, with laws and morals thrown aside and all men shouting the killing and reveling in joy. Then the liberated Old Ones would teach them new ways to shout and kill and revel and enjoy themselves, and all earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom.'

"Pretty interesting, eh? And doesn't that kind of talk just sound familiar? Hey
guys, I'm tired of talking and just plain tired. Let's call it a night and start again first thing in the morning. I wake when the sun rises." They both gave her an 'Oh shit' look.

Caitlin pounded on their doors very early the next morning and wouldn't quit until they responded. "Come over to my room as soon as you are like ready to face the world. But not more than fifteen minutes. I have juice, coffee and a bite of breakfast."

Brett and Jack were sitting in Caitlin's room drinking their first cup of coffee well within the fifteen minute time limit. "Hey you guys, did you ever hear the song I Feel Like Homemade Shit by the Fugs? That's what you two look like." They both groaned.

"Start talking, Caitlin, " Jack demanded. "Obviously as you pointed out, we are in no condition yet to communicate effectively. Tell us in particular what you know about Sir Richard Francis Burton and The Perfumed Garden of Sheik Nafzaoui."

"Well, I just knew you were going to ask me about that. In case you didn't notice through those bleary eyes, if you look over there on the bed you can see I also brought my notebook computer. The Perfumed Garden of Sheik Nafzaoui is on line and I would like to read an excerpt. This is just one paragraph to give you the flavor of this erotic work. From Chapter 9, Sundry Names Given to the Sexual Organs of Women. Page 4, 'El tsequil, the importunate - This is the vulva which is never tired of taking in the member. This latter might pass a hundred nights with it, and walk in a hundred times ever night, still that vulva would not be sated - nay, it would still want more, and would not allow the member to come out again at all, if it was possible. With such a vulva the parts are exchanged; the vulva is the pursuer, the member the pursued. Luckily it is a rarity, and only found in a small number of women, who are wild with passion, all on fire, and in flame.' Pretty good stuff, 'eh guys?"

"Now that you guys are waking up, I'll get to what you really want to know. You want to know about Sir Richard Francis Burton and vampires and bigfoots, right? You already know he published Vikram and the Vampire or Tales of Hindu Devilry and Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo."

Caitlin continued, "Jack, you talked on the phone to my on line fellow red friend Nathaniel, or so he told me. He said he told you all about Lilith. No, not your Lilith, the murder suspect."

Jack was stunned and looked at Brett sternly. "Did you tell her? I told you not yet."

"No, he didn't tell me, Jack," Caitlin chided, "and why are you keeping secrets from me? You don't think I have my own sources? Didn't you look through my purse, Jack? Well, I looked through Brett's briefcase while he was taking a little snooze and I read the Lilith File. I know about the two guys who got offed and got their cocks sucked all the way off." She didn't let Jack and Brett recover enough to say anything. "Back to the historical Lilith, the first vampire, according to my friend Nathaniel and others. Let's see if I can tie some of this together, the vampire business and Sir Richard Francis Burton."

"I'm not going to do all the homework for you guys. Go look this stuff up yourself. I'll give you a few clues. Did you ever see the movie Mountains of the Moon with Patrick Bergin? All about Sir Richard Francis Burton and the search for the source of the Nile river. Intriguing flick. Go rent it. Bergin was in Patriot Games with Harrison Ford and also The Lost World based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book about a scientist looking for dinosaurs."

"Talking about movies, are you aware of the connection between Sir Richard Francis Burton and Dram Stoker? Stoker of course didn't just write Dracula. He wrote seventeen other novels, most of which were about supernatural phenomena. Most say Bram Stoker's Dracula was based upon Vlad Tepus, also known as Dracul, the fifteenth century Romanian prince. There is another much less known theory. Bram Stoker met Sir Richard Francis Burton on a train ride to Ireland in 1878. Stoker wrote of Burton in his book Reminiscences of Henry Irving, ' ... the man riveted my attention. He was dark and forceful, and masterful, and ruthless. I have never seen so iron a countenance.' The two met at length on several other occasions and Stoker was obsessed with, of all things, Burton's teeth. Of those he wrote, 'As he spoke the upper lip rose and his canine tooth showed its full length like the gleam of a dagger.' Stoker was obsessed with vampires, particularly the Dearg-Due, the ancient Irish female blood suckers."

"Back to Sir Richard Francis Burton," Caitlin continued, "there is great mystery surrounding the disappearance of some of his unpublished work after his death. Much of what he did publish is very controversial. What he didn't publish and what disappeared is rumored to be even more controversial."

"Burton published a work entitled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night. It was a ten-volume translation of the Arabian Nights that was privately printed. There were originally only around a thousand copies and in that original offering was an essay on pederasty. That essay which dealt with such things as bordellos featuring boys and eunuchs was omitted from many subsequent editions of this work."

"Sir Richard was also an English Freemason as were some other noteworthy characters such as Sir Winston Churchill, Bishop Percy Herbert of Norwich and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Did you know that The Book of Enoch is of utmost importance to Freemasons? I read a book by Graham Hancock, The Sign and the Seal, which ties the Freemasons to Enoch quite nicely. Here in our country of course we have the Shriners, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, which only admits Freemasons who have achieved a certain status or degree."

"Jack, I recall you relating a conversation initiated by this Danel who possibly abducted Laurie Johnston, our first mysterious disappearance, about the pyramid on the back of a one dollar bill. That pyramid on the dollar and the one on the Great Seal of the United States are often claimed to be Masonic symbols."

"Many of the white eyes who are considered the founding fathers of this country were Masons. In 1776 four members made up the committee overseeing the creation of the design of a seal to represent the new American nation. They were Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Pierre Du Simitiere who was responsible for artistic input. Franklin was definitely a Mason. The Masonic Order has existed in one form or another since the building of the Great Pyramid. Today's Masonic Orders are versions of ancient secret societies into things like building a deathless body called Solomon's Temple."

"The official explanation of the Great Seal is that the unfinished pyramid is the Great Pyramid at Giza. The eye was suggested by Du Simitiere and the radiant triangle by Jefferson. A mystical triangle was an Egyptian symbol representing Osiris, Isis and Orus. A mystical triangle and the eye are important symbols of Freemasonry. The Altar and the Jewels of the Royal Arch Masons are triangles as are many other symbolic images. The Masonic symbol of the Grand Architect of the Universe is a triangle and the all-seeing eye."

"Are you two guys getting bored with my mindless drivel yet?"

"No, no way," Brett assured her. "This is fascinating my dear." Jack nodded affirmatively.

"Not to worry. I will tie this all together. In Masonic ritual, we have that great allegory, the legend of the master builder, Hiram Abiff, the son of the widow. The widow is thought to be Isis, the black virgin. Masonic philosophy and others such as Quabbalistic and Rosicrucian point to the dark Shulamite maiden of the Song of Solomon as Isis. Now, Jack, didn't you say that our first mysterious disappearance, Laurie Johnston, was a Song of Solomon fan? As I recall those pages were ripped out of a bible and found in her bedroom. Now isn't this all just such a coincidence?"

"Speaking of the Song of Solomon," Caitlin rose and retrieved the King James Version of the bible from the dresser drawer, "most interpretations are absurd. The Jews consider it an allegory embracing Jehovah and Israel. The Catholics maintain it is all about the Virgin Mary. The Protestants view it as Christ and the Church. Pure rubbish. They can't even figure out how many speakers there are, seven not two. Whether you believe the Song of Solomon is divinely inspired or not, it is definitely a work of erotic love."

"Let's see, 1:5, 'I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.' She is black. Dark. Dusky. Just how dark is she? Kedar or the Hebrew 'qedar' means dusky or dark, of the skin or of the tents. Kedar was the second son of Ishmael. Various passages in the bible associate Kedar with Arabs. But the Shulamite maiden was not a descendent of Ishmael. Try his brother."

"The Shulamite maiden's skin was dark, dusky, obviously darker than her peers, the other daughters of Jerusalem. We know from verses like 1:8, 'O thou fairest among women that she was the most beautiful woman around. The word 'fairest' translated from the Hebrew 'yapheh' has nothing to do with skin color. It means beautiful, extraordinarily comely, very bright. The Shulamite maiden is from Shulem also known as Shunem. She is of the tribe of Issachar; a descendent of Shem, Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Issachar. But she is dark-skinned, much darker than the other daughters of Jerusalem."

"In verse 1:6, 'Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.' The Shulamite maiden is black 'because the sun hath looked upon me' you say? Her suntan right? Well, isn't that just a prosopopoeia one might ask, a figure of speech, a thing represented as a person? No, I don't think her skin is darker than her contemporaries because of a suntan. I do not think that is why the Shulamite maiden is very aware of prejudice regarding the color of one's skin. The word 'black' in this verse, what does it mean? The word 'black' is translated from the Hebrew 'shachor' derived from the root 'shachar' which means duskiness or darkness of the early dawn. The 'I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me' means she is dusky as the sun appearing above the eastern horizon, the early dawn. She is relegated to be 'keeper of the vineyards' because of prejudice."

"What are all these Black Madonnas and Black Virgins all about? Jung said she is Isis. Isis? Remember what I said about the radiant triangle? Others say the Shulamite maiden is Venus, Diana, Inanna, Lilith and others. Right, our friend, Lilith. Some say she is Mary Magdalene who some say was Jesus' lover. And then we have the Black Madonna of Einsiedeln, the black Virgin Mary and we have the Vierge Noires found throughout France? And what about the dusky gypsy maidens of Saintes Maries de la Mer know her as Sara-la-Kali?"

"Since Jesus is worshipped as a chaste God by many major religions, it is provocative to fantasize an erotic life for Him. D.H. Lawrence was perhaps the first serious author to do so in The Man Who Died which he wrote in 1927. His Christian critics of course called his work the ultimate in blasphemy. Jesus became a lover of the priestess of Isis in the story."

"What's my point boys? Well, I'm not exactly sure. But I do know that the Song of Solomon is perhaps the most controversial part of the bible and for some reason our ladies who mysteriously disappeared were all of a sudden very interested in these verses, much as they were with The Perfumed Garden of Sheik Nazfaoui. Why? I would look to the definite possibility of the tall strangers who apparently persuaded these women to vanish as being the ones who turned the ladies on to erotica, in the biblical sense and otherwise."

"Back to Sir Richard Francis Burton. Much of the controversy surrounding Burton revolves around what his wife Isabel did with his unpublished work after his death in 1890. One of those unpublished works was The Scented Garden, a new and improved translation of The Perfumed Garden of Sheik Nefzauoi. According to the story, Isabel burned all copies of The Scented Garden. Neither the original manuscript nor any copies have ever been found. Why did Isabel burn this book? Do any copies exist somewhere?"

"Six years after Sir Richard's death his wife Isabel died. Shortly thereafter, in London, many of his other unpublished works, journals and personal letters were also burned. A few manuscripts that did survive were later published such as Selected Papers on Anthropology, Travel and Exploration and The Jew, The Gypsy, and El Islam."
"One other interesting story about Burton is that he was responsible for proliferating the use of the word assassin which is derived from the Arabic word hashishin. The hashishin were a band of killers who used cannabis extensively themselves but were more infamous for drugging others with it, particularly women they intended to seduce and potential victims they intended to assassinate. Some say the word hashishin was used first during the Crusades. In any event, it is clear Burton used the word but what is not clear is to whom he was referring. It could be he was referring to the Isma'ilianism or assassins of his time but that is not substantiated."

Just then the phone in Caitlin's room rang. The call was for Jack. It was Sam Hanson calling from Las Vegas. He was on a speaker phone with Frankie Mancuso, the security chief of the casino where the first murder occurred, and another man whose voice Jack recognized. Another Lilith murder Sam informed him. The victim had just been discovered. Hanson had made Jack aware of his suspicions several weeks ago but at that time there was no body. Jack told Sam he was on his way, and he took Brett and Caitlin with him.

To Be Continued...

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