Azz muttered beneath his breath as he stepped from the lobby of the Hotel Osiris into the sweltering heat of the Egyptian night.

"Vampires," he growled as he walked toward one of the many labyrinthine alleyways that wound their way through Old Cairo. "Bring me nothin' but trouble, every time I deal with em, nothin' but headaches. When am I gonna learn to stay clear of blood suckers?"

The demon in the body of a child headed toward the Moushi Bazaar. He pulled up the tattered sleeve of his coat and gazed at the illuminated dial of a Rolex. Seeing the time he swore loudly and turned abruptly down a tiny side street - a short cut. He was going to be late for an important appointment with a sorcerer in need of a very rare crystal used to hold extracted human souls. It was a deal he couldn't afford pass up and now he quickened his pace - and collided with a large figure that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was dark in the alley but he could see that the man was quite big, wearing a wide brim hat and a heavy overcoat. For a brief instant, the demon pondered the question of why someone would wear so much clothing on such a hot evening.

"My apologies, good sir," Azz said in his most childlike voice. "I did not see you."

He tried to move around the large man, but the figure moved to block his path.

Azz manipulated the muscles of the child's face and smiled angelically. "A thousand pardons sir, but if you would be so kind as to let me pass, I shall bother you no more."

The demon stepped back with a heavy sigh. He felt his soul crystal deal flying right out the window.