Well damn, I died again.

  “Welcome back, contractor.” Zzthamna hissed.

  “Yeah hello to you too Tammy.”

  The demon recoiled in disgust. “You know that isn't my name.”

  “And you know I don't like pronouncing your name. Anyway, what is my task so I can get back? And it better not be that ‘collect a thousand souls’ nonsense. That took forever last time”

  “In a rush are we?” Tammy replied. Damnit, she. . . It, was amused!

  I'd describe it to you, but it's really hard to put words to the phenomenon that are fiends, and angels too for that matter.

  I always get the impression that they are humanoid, but their features shift with their emotions.

  Tammy was a demon forged from dark desires, so that's why she always looked enticing, but always in different ways. It. Damn, I need to remember to keep my sense of separation. As soon as I think of it as a her, I can feel its influence over me growing. Anyway, if you ever forge a contract with extraplanar creatures, it’ll be good for you to keep that in mind.

  “Yeah, I need to get back down there and help the kids out before they get into real trouble.”

  Tammy paused, it was probably surprised. I don't normally express my intent to help so openly, just in case it tried to twist my actions to its own ends, but this time I'm in a bit of a rush. If I went about things the normal way, I'd be lucky to get back inside the same decade, let alone the same year.

  One time, I even ended up in the past.

  That was a little embarrassing.

  Anyway, Tammy stared at me, It felt a little warm as it considered.”You know, I like you Delvin, why can't you just stay with me for a bit instead of always running off?”

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  Ohh Gods, Tammy is pouting. It was going to be one of those times.

  “The job please.” I said, firmly. You can't give demons a centimeter, or they'll ask for a kilometer, and a few liters of blood to boot.

  Tammy frowned, she looked disappointed. It, damn it, It.

  “Fine, but you aren't going to like it.” She whined.

  “Just tell me already.” I was growing impatient, the abyss amplified emotions.

  “You just need to give me a baby.” She-, It said with a sly smile.

  Damn it.

  I sigh, it was playing games with me again.

  I pull off my belt.

  “Oh my!!!” Tammy gasped.

  I folded my belt over and slapped it against my hand.

  “The real mission, now” I said.

  Tammy looked disappointed? Great, just great, but that's a problem for a different life.

  “I wasn't joking, one of the Angels has given birth, I need you to bring me their spawn.” Tammy said, her eyes looked like they were pleading.

  Damn it, I need to control myself, but what she said, raised questions.

  “Gave birth? I didn't think it was possible for any of you to give birth. Why do you want the angel baby?”

  “Ohh, it's possible, but very rare. Only happens every few million cycles. Also, it's not an angel baby.” Tammy replied, It grew a tail and was playing with it seductively. It wasn't going to work.

  “Fine,” I sighed. “I'll steal your baby.” Would it matter anyway? This isn't the first ‘dirty’ task I've had to do to go back, and it wouldn't be the last. While I'm out there, I should be able to find a loophole.

  Here in the Pancosma, reality is fluid, so loopholes are inevitable. Well, they are in every world, yours included. Have you ever felt deja vu? Have you forgotten why you entered a room? Have you heard of people going missing without a trace? That's reality rewritten. Words added, paragraphs struck out. The feeling you are being watched when you are alone? Of observation like you are a character in a story, just like I am to you? Well, you get used to it. When you are as old as me, you can even watch them back. Don't worry, I try not to peek, but I can’t promise the same for others, but I digress. There are loopholes in every world. The trick is learning to use them, and survive.

  Here in the Pancosma, the shifting reality between realities, they're more dangerous. With luck, I'd be able to use one to get through this contract.

  “So who's baby is this that you want me to trek across limbo to steal?”

  Tammy shifted, both physically on it's seat, and its face before answering.

  “Well. . . I don't have a name. . .”

  I frowned “but I have a stone that is linked to their essence, well, sort of.’

  I stared at Tammy, what is it trying to get me into? “. . .Sort of?” I asked in an intentional deadpan.

  “It'll work fine as soon as you get far enough from the Abyss” Tammy scrambled to say. I almost felt sorry for her.

  It, damnit.