Rose's Curse (Stories Beyond This Universe II)

Meteors struck the earth almost every hour, bringing immediate destruction in their wake. Fortunately, humans have developed force fields to deflect the meteors. But these didn't always work, especially on the outskirts of the city.

Rose Cristian should've remembered that fact on her way to Zone 206, but she was too busy reining in her anger. Stomping on her rain-soaked boots, Rose could just see her destination in the dark of the night, her supernatural vision never failing her. The streets haven’t changed much either. Once she arrived, she punched her way into the pub, rattling the whole establishment with sheer force. She heard cursing as she stepped inside.

Red-faced, a portly man studied his beer-stained shirt with disgust. He whirled towards Rose, incensed, "Drat it! You son of a ---“The words fell from the man’s mouth, and he became even more beet red as he recognized Rose.

"Hello, Hunter. I see you're still shit-faced as ever. But you were ten a century ago. What excuse do you have now?" Rose greeted the man without much expression on her face. No one could deny the fury in her eyes, though. 

"You—how!?" Hunter stuttered, his fangs out in surprise. "Rose?! But you aren't supposed to be resurrected until next month!" he exclaimed. 

Rose ignored the vampire, just like she always did. She surveyed the empty pub instead, with eyes narrowed and arms crossed against her chest. From the looks of it, Hunter had cleared the humans out of the place using his encanto, probably to have his fill of the booze it provided. Why the vampire felt the need to gorge himself in a substance that neither affects nor sustains him, Rose didn't know. 

"Father Benedict didn't say---I mean, why...why so early? What made him change his mind?" Hunter continued to ramble, scratching at his bald head. He gasped, "Oh, God. Don't tell me...the world is ending, isn't it?" 

Taking a deep breath, Rose scoffed at the vampire, "What gave that away? The meteors that will hit this place in an hour?" 

"No, I mean. This time, it's really ending, right? Like...whoosh...one big end."

Rose took a moment to think about that. 

"Yes," Rose answered matter-of-factly, "The world is ending so Father Benedict found it urgent to wake me. He thinks it's Joanna." 

Hunter's eye widened, "And to keep her from doing that, the old priest woke you up."

"Yes, didn't I just say? And that old priest also has this ridiculous idea that I should..." Rose scoffed, her eyes still scanning the pub in a tense glare, "Now, tell me. Where is he?" 

"Who?" Hunter pursed his mouth, feigning ignorance. 

"Looking for me?" a tall stranger emerged from the shadows, tapping his cane on the floor in front of him.

Turning towards him, Rose's gaze was first drawn to the man's right leg, which exhibited the slightest limp with each step. Probably some childhood injury to the knee that never quite healed. Rose's eyes then traveled up to his hands and arms, strong and muscular. But Rose noticed that he looked a little sallow. For a beat, Rose wondered why, but then their eyes met. A shock that she never felt before went through her whole body. The blood in her veins, newly pumped just an hour ago, turning cold as ice. Rose swallowed, hoping the stranger didn't notice her surprise.  

"Call it off," Rose said without context, knowing that the man knew what she meant. But he only cocked an eyebrow in response. "Call. It. Off." Rose enunciated, flinging the words at him. 

Unflinching, the man made a show of going towards the empty bar. He sat on a stool, stretching his long legs in front of him leisurely, all the while ignoring Rose's toxic glare. 

"Uh..." Hunter designed to pipe up, "I think I'm gonna go--" 

"Stay." Rose spat. 

"Okay." Hunter squeaked, freezing in his spot beside Rose. 

Rose didn't take her eyes off the stranger, "I don't know who you are and what you're getting from this. But there is no way in hell that I am marrying you."

"Wait...marriage?!" Hunter choked. 

"Why, it's very nice to meet you, too, Ms. Cristian." the man answered calmly, smirking in the face of her fury, "I'm Jericho." 

"Didn't you hear me?" Rose clipped, "Go to that damned church right now and tell the old man that you're calling the marriage off. " 

"Damned church," Jericho repeated, chuckling as if it were the funniest joke in the world. 

Beside Rose, Hunter snorted a laugh too, which made her finally snap. Rose launched a fist at Jericho, fully expecting him to be slow due to his disability. But he easily dodged the attack, making Rose blink in surprise. Recovering, she swung another one at him, but this time he caught her arm. This made Rose lose her balance and she went toppling on top of him as they went careening onto the floor. Jericho grunted as he accommodated her weight, but he caught her waist easily, pinning her to him. 

Her heart pounding, Rose struggled to get off him. But his arms were too strong. 

"So, tell me, Ms. Cristian, while we're in this comfortable position on the floor, why don't you want to marry me?" Jericho asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

A blush crept up Rose’s face and she must be out of her mind because needlessly, Rose realized that she liked his face. It was conventionally handsome, the one that would turn heads if he walked down the street. Normally, Rose could care less about that, such perfection unnerved her. But there was something in his features that drew her. She didn't know what. And that was why she decided then and there that whatever gut feeling she had towards Jericho, it would be hate. 

"Because---because you're a total stranger! And you don't even know me. Why are you agreeing to this? What do you get from it?" she exclaimed.

For a second, sadness welled into Jericho's deep blue eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I get to save the world from Joanna, of course." 

Rose scoffed, "Please, let's not kid ourselves. She couldn't beat me before and she's not going to, now. And if she becomes stronger than I can handle, I'm sure I can find other ways to overcome her." 

The corners of Jericho's mouth pulled up, "That might be. But are you sure marrying me is not the best way to do it? Because I'm pretty sure you'll never find another like me." 

Rose scoffed again. She knew about pick-up lines and there wasn’t one that could ever work on her. Once again, she struggled against his hold, hitting him in the stomach as she pulled herself up. Jericho grunted at the assault and sank further down the floor. 

"I don't appreciate being made fun of," Rose said, smoothly standing up. 

"Was serious." Jericho gasped through the pain, but Rose could still hear a smile in his words. 

Rose studied him, careful to keep the distance in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but something out the window caught her eye. Her eyes widened in apprehension.

Panicked, Hunter shook Rose’s shoulders, "Um...guys...

But he didn’t get to finish his sentence as the darkness of an incoming meteor enveloped the skies above them.