Spike glared at the creature. "Your concern's quite touching. I'll be sure to pass that on to Scylla if she should ask who sicced the bloody Sages on her." He turned toward the balcony to retrieve Drusilla when he felt something tug at his pants leg.

Azz was holding onto the material, looking up at him with dark, beady eyes. "I don't think you understand what I'm getting at. I need some payment for the dirt I just gave you."

Spike began to chuckle amiably. The Trehadji demon joined in.

"Believe me, I know how it is," the demon said, letting go of Spike's pants. "You get so caught up in what you're doing, you forget things. Happens to me all the time."

The demon held out his hand again. "Just pay up and I'll be on my way."

Spike knelt down to the demon's level. "Hate to put a damper on your night, but we're a bit tight on cash right now. Tell you what I will do though."

The demon clenched its tiny fists.

"I'll put a good word in for you with the great Old Ones and I'll bet they'll be so tickled by your help that they'll put aside some vestal virgin or something equally attractive for you to crawl into once they return to earth. How does that sound?" Spike asked with an intimidating grin.

Azz quickly turned from him and began to slither up the leg of the child's body. "Yeah, sure. That'd be great. Appreciate it. Skinflint" He forced himself into the open mouth, gradually disappearing inside the hollow of the child's body.