Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

I decided to risk a question.

“Ah, excuse me.”

“Yeah, kid?”

“Um, you are a demon, aren’t you?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess you could say I am.”

“Well, if you don’t mind my asking, why don’t you act like a demon?”

The demon shot me a disgusted look, then turned his head heavenward in a gesture of martyrdom.

“Everybody’s a critic. Tell ya what, kid, would you be happier if I tore your throat out with my teeth?”

“Well, no, but….”

“For that matter, who are you, anyway? Are you an innocent bystander, or did you come with the assassin?”

“I’m with him,” I hastened to reply, pointing a shaky finger at Garkin’s body. That bit about tearing my throat out had me on edge again. “Or at least I was. Garkin. The one who summoned … him!… I’m … I was his student.”

“No kiddin’? Garkin’s apprentice?” He began advancing toward me, reaching out a hand, “Pleased ta … what’s wrong?”

As he moved toward me, I had started backing away from him. I tried to do it casually, but he had noticed.

“Well… it’s … you are a demon.”

“Yeah. So?”

“Um … well, demons are supposed to be….”

“Hey, relax, kid. I don’t bite. Look, I’m an old buddy of Garkin’s.”

“I thought you said you were a demon?”

“That’s right. I’m from another dimension. A dimension traveler, or demon for short. Get it?”

“What’s a dimension?”

The demon scowled.

“Are you sure you’re Garkin’s apprentice? I mean, he hasn’t told you anything at all about dimensions?”

“No,” I answered. “I mean, yes, I’m his apprentice, but he never said anything about the demon-suns.”