Rain or Shine (UnWilling Roommates book 2.5)

Back-Alley Deals

(A/N: All this time I've mentioned Y/N's mad fighting skills, but I've never actually showed them off!  Also, it wouldn't be a fight scene without xiao xiao, am I right? :D)

Y/N is stubborn and also makes questionable decisions.

(Bill's POV)

"Crap," Y/N muttered, peering into the fridge.  "We're out of milk."

"Is it important?" I asked from where I was sitting on the floor, scrolling through Y/N's phone.

"Sort of.  I wanted to make hot cocoa."  She closed the fridge and frowned.  "I can run out and get some.  The CVS on the corner is open for another twenty minutes."

"It's kind of late, isn't it?  Are you sure you want to go out by yourself?" I asked with mild concern.

"You can come with me if you're worried.  You don't appear to be doing anything more important than casually invading my privacy."  She snatched her phone out of my hand.  "And draining my battery."

Y/N tossed her phone onto the table and pulled me to my feet.  "Will's already in bed, so let's get a move on."

I knew Will was in bed.  I'd heard Y/N singing "You are my Sunshine" for half an hour straight while helping him fall asleep.  I'd never say it out loud, but I admired her seemingly endless patience.

She's such a kind and gentle person, I thought to myself as I watched her pull her shoes on.  Like a dainty little princess.  I wouldn't be surprised if woodland animals show up when she sings.  I'd never heard Y/N sing except in the shower or to Will, so I wouldn't know.  Maybe that theory requires some control testing...

"I don't want to know what you're thinking about with that pervy grin, but let's go already," Y/N snapped.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!  And it wasn't pervy!" I whined, but followed her dutifully out the door.

I was more than a little surprised when Y/N headed around the corner of our building into an alley instead of continuing down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going?" I asked, a little apprehensive.

"CVS.  It's a shortcut.  Hop to it, we've only got fifteen minutes." 

I had to hurry to keep up with her quick strides.  "An alley?  Seriously?  It's the middle of the night.  This brilliant idea just keeps getting better."

"Did you come with me just to complain the whole time?  We'll be home in ten minutes."

"If we don't get murdered first," I muttered under my breath.

Thanks to the shortcut, we made it to the store with eight minutes to spare.  Y/N bought a half gallon of milk, which I considered barely worth the trouble of coming here in the first place.  And I told her so, loudly and repeatedly, as she speed-walked ahead of me out the door and back into the alley.

She was still a few steps ahead of me when a silhouette blocked the streetlight at the far end of the alley.  Y/N stopped short and I caught up to her as she turned around.  Looking behind us, I saw that two more shadows had cut off our retreat.

I felt my weak human heart speed up with anxiety.  I silently cursed my own foolhardy assumption that my presence would make Y/N safer.  I had been lulled into a false sense of security over the past months, and had practically forgotten that I was nothing but an ordinary human.  Without my demon powers, I was utterly useless.

"Y/N," I hissed.  "I don't have magic anymore.  I can't protect you."

"You don't have to," she growled.