The Gift Box

"We have a winner ladies and gentlemen! But before I finally closed the bidding,  is there someone out there up for a bigger offer?"

The feverish crowd fell into a respectful silence and waited for a figure to emerge from somewhere and make another incredulous offer. The noise of the drum roll played in the background imitating the hyperactive heart of the expectant guests.

From the center of the room, a familiar figure of a  tall and broad-shouldered man resurface from the crowd. It was the fallen Angel. 

Zachary Benedict's face looked blankly inscrutable as usual as he made a grand entrance. He seem to appear calm on the surface but deep inside, he was preoccupied with so many bothering thoughts.

His blank eyes dart back and forth across the room searching for the familiar form of a slender woman. A frown was beginning to resurface on his handsome face as he found no trace of the woman he was looking for.

"To end this not so obvious argument I'll finally end this bidding. All of the offers given combined together. That would be my offer."

The crowd gasp though it was already expected that Zachary Benedict will do something unexpected the crowd was still surprised by the astounding amount he offered. That was an incredible amount of money but they knew that it would be only a cents for the Blaze billionaire. Still! For them, it's still a colossal amount.

"That would be six million and five  hundred thirty thousand dollars." The emcee said."

The fallen Angel scribbled the amount in his check and instantly handed the piece of paper to the speechless emcee who took the money with her hands shaking. This amount was actually the largest money the emcee ever handled in her entire life.

"I could match that offer but, If I do the discussion will lengthen until morning." Azrael Caine said looking at Zachary Benedict.

The tension in the air thickened and the crowd

let go a nervous laugh. If the Fallen Angel and the Grim Ripper decided to engage in mortal combat at this moment, they can't do anything about it.

"How about I'll double that six million dollars?" Michael Angelo jumped into the conversation uninvited.

The watching guests finally let go of a sigh of relief. Michael Angelo was there. The handsome Adonis could be a temporary referee.

Ignoring his enemies banters, Zachary Benedict climbed up the stage.  The tension suddenly crumbled and the crowd was in a relief.

'This is the six million and five hundred thirty thousand dollars he paid for. He don't expect too much considering how plain the box. After all, there is nothing that could surprise him—except for a dead person to resurface in front of him.

Zachary Benedict gently pulled the ribbons that tightly sealed the huge box. His rhythmic movements appeared so sexually arousing as if he was deliberately undressing a lover.

When the box sprung open the crowd watching from down the stage gasp in awe. A woman just got out of the box. That sounds so cliche, but what shocked them most was it turned to be an incredibly gorgeous woman with a body to die for. Her face was partially hidden with a mask that covers her eyes and it was only her shapely lips that were exposed.

She sprung out of the box so gracefully the same way Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty rose from the foam of the sea. The scanty lingerie she wore clung to her shapely figure like a second skin leaving little to the imagination. Her intricately beaded red lingerie allowed her body to sparkle like a precious gemstone against the spotlight.

She smiled to herself knowing that the attention was now hers. She could even feel the hot burning gaze men throw at her direction. But no matter how a hundred men eagerly look at her voluptuous body with lust it provides her no satisfaction. Only Zachary Benedict could fulfill her desires.

She proudly stood in the center stage allowing the crowd to devour her stunning figure with their hot gaze. Her soft bare feet made a slow elegant twirl and her straight long hair bounced like it did on a shampoo commercial.

She walk to where Zachary Benedict stood and smiled sweetly at him. He in return look at her with murder in his eyes and suddenly clenched his fist until his fingers hurt. The tension building between the two wasn't obvious. She was impressed that even though she wore a mask, he was able to recognize her.

"Angelica Marie," He whispered the name of the woman he loathed.

She looks more beautiful now compared to how she looked five years ago. Her rare silver hair longer. Her beautiful features seem more defined. Her waist became much slimmer but contrary to losing weight, her breast and her buttocks became bigger that it seemed to burst out of her tight lingerie any moment.

He hated her with deep passion but he can't deny the fact that his body was a traitor feeling the opposite of what he wanted to feel towards her. Unexpectedly she kissed his leaving him surprised.

The guests went to a wild frenzy and cheered for the Fallen Angel. The guests were going crazy as the show began.

Raul Fernando's  'Yearning' began to play. Zachary Benedict felt as if all the hairs in his body rose. He swallowed deep and closed his eyes. He was suddenly back to the king-size bed with her, making love for the first time. He opened his eyes again to see her bending forward like a goddess, her hands resting on her toes, and her hair cascade down to her legs like a silver waterfall.

When the drum-beating part of the music began, she snap her hair up into the air while her hands flicked on her side as if welcoming the cool air. Her gentle eyes began to burn with passion.

In the beginning, the alluring sway of her hips was slow but as the tempo of the music intensified the unhurried flow of her hips turned into an enchanting rapid gyrates that sent the hall in ablaze.

There's more to her dancing, it's as if she was the goddess of sexuality depicting the right way how to make love with her dance. Every move she makes were pleasant to the eye, like a smooth wave from the ocean and yet so soft like the gentle wind that pulls you to sleep. Every flicker of her hands,  the twist of her waits, and even the movement of her porcelain smooth legs was on point with the music. It's as if the song and herself was one with the music.

YEARNING, as the music itself says, she dances as if she was missing a lover who was far away. Her face, particularly her eyes was so expressive it's as if whatever emotions she felt would eventually felt by whoever looks into her eyes.

Her moves were enchanting,  her eyes were alluring, her movement was bewitching.  For a while, everybody was hypnotized. Zachary Benedict felt as if she was seducing him to make love to her. It

Before everybody could react further, the music stopped. She made a bow and walk quickly out of the Grand Hall leaving the hall in a state of applauding standing ovation.

She was gone as fast as she arrived.

Zachary Benedict watch her leave. His eyes ablaze with the strong desire to run after her and twist her lovely neck. He hadn't forgotten what she did to him. She killed him once and he will never allow her to do it again.

'Angelica Marie, my assassin. We will meet again and I will make sure you will kneel on your knees and regret everything you did to me....one day.' Zachary Benedict bowed as he clenched his fist and made his way out of the grand hall.