“In the Bible. You know, Lot and his wife were saved from Sodom but couldn't look back. She looked back and was turned into salt.”
“That never happened,” Azrael said dryly. “Sodom was destroyed but no one was turned into salt and it had nothing to do with sodomy. It was all because Jerry wasn't invited to the party.”
“What nonsense are you speakin' now?” Austin whined.
“Jerry as in Jehovah,” I reminded Austin. “Your god.”
“Yeah, I got that part. It's the party thang that's got me riled up.”
“Jerry loves his wine.” Azrael shrugged. “You know that whole thing about Jesus turning water into wine? It was because he knew his dad was about to arrive and they had run out of wine. Jerry does not like parties without wine, but it's far worse to not invite him at all. Sodom and Gomorrah were having constant parties with lots of wine but neither city worshiped Jehovah. Quite the opposite; they practically gave him the finger. Thus, he got really pissed.Thus, utter destruction.”
“I can't even...” Austin sat back in his chair and just stared at Az.
“But my point is,” Azrael went on. “Lot died in Sodom, both him and his wife. Those angels who supposedly helped his family get out of the city? They saved Lot'sdaughtersbut left him behind.”
“Why in tarnation would they do that?” Austin huffed.
“Because when the men of Sodom asked Lot to send out his new friends—the aforementioned angels—to join their orgy, Lot offered those ass—” Azrael suddenly recalled his younger audience and extended the word into, “—teroids his daughters. Hisvirgindaughters. What kind of man offers his innocent daughters to be gang”—Az glanced at the children again—“abused in place of a couple of strangers he just met?”
“Yeah, I've always wondered about that,” Austin admitted.
“Well, a buddy of mine was one of those angels, and he was not pleased with Lot's offer. He convinced his partner, the other angel, that they should save the girls, who happened to be some of the only innocents left in the city. They flew them out of Sodom right before the place was brimstoned.”
“Wasn't Lot's daughters the ones who got their dad drunk and seduced him?” I asked.
“And I think breakfast is done!” Samantha declared abruptly. “Who wants to go outside and play in the fort?”
“I do!” All of the children said at once.
“Thank you,” I mouthed at Sam. I couldn't believe I'd slipped up like that. And after Azrael had done so well.
After the children paraded out with Fallon and Samantha, Azrael got back to his story.
“That was another lie. As I said, Lot was dead. He never lived in a cave with his daughters and they never seduced him. They did, however, seduce my buddy.” Az grimaced. “But that was awhile after the whole Sodom thing. My friend was looking after them since their family was dead and they... well, you know how it is. He's an angel and he saved them. They had a crush.”
“Which buddy is this?” I asked suspiciously.
“I can't, Carus. You'd never be able to speak to him without giving away the fact that you knew.”
“Aw, come on,” I whined.
“Nope. Not telling. You have no poker face and no filter. You'd probably blab it the second you saw him.”
“Did they have babies with your friend?” I asked.
“No. They eventually married humans and lived normal lives but some malicious gossiper made up a story about the girls because they lived outside of town without men to look after them, which was not often done back then.”
“That's just as mean as a mama wasp.” Austin shook his head.
“Where do you come up with those lines?” Viper shook his head in wonder.
“I'm Texan.” Austin smirked.
“Aren't there Greek myths about not looking back?” Trevor asked me. “Something about leaving the Underworld.”
“Just because I'm an Olympian, it doesn't mean that I know all of the Greek myths.” I pushed at his thick bicep.
“Oh, of course, you're an Olympian too.” Austin grimaced.
