Dash

Dashiell ("Just call me Dash.") was a little hellion growing up. The only scion of a wealthy manufacturing family, he was always attracted to the darker side of the human condition. This perverse fascination, combined with a superior intelligence and nearly unlimited financial resources was a truly hellish combination in a "fallen angel"-sort of way. Crimes - theft, extortion, battery and even burglary - were easily covered up. What his charm and roguish good looks couldn't accomplish, payoffs could. His appetite for violence and crime was only rivaled by his appetite for men. It was the thrill and sheer delight in wrongdoing that made each escapade worthwhile.

Dash caught the attention of one of the local crime bosses when he became involved in a bar fight and permanently crippled Lucio Giambi's lieutenant. As the youngest crime lord in the city, Lucio needed to prove his mettle to the other syndicate bosses. Dash had to pay for this transgression and he would see to it. Personally.

All of that changed, however, when the two met face-to-face.

Imagine his surprise when Lucio entered his study and found a brutally handsome young man relaxing on his couch, a glass of brandy in one hand and a book in the other. A lit cigarette was in the large marble ashtray, its smoke lazily spiraling up in the cool air.

Dash put the book down and stood up. "I hear you've been looking for me. I thought we should have a talk."

Tall and well-built, Dash was dressed in a soft black leather sleeveless shirt which only served to frame his muscular shoulders and arms. Snug leather jeans - which clung to his long, strong legs and narrow waist - produced a living portrait just this side of obscene. His black motorcycle jacket was laid on the sofa. A black leather collar circled his neck and matching leather bands circled powerful wrists. His shaved head gleamed in the lamplight. A 100-watt smile creased Dash's face and traveled all the way up to his startlingly azure eyes.

"I was trying to find the best way to introduce myself - and I believed this was probably the fastest way to get results. I want to work for you, Lucio. After all, with the way your businesses COULD be expanding ..."

He slowly put the brandy snifter down on the end table.

"You really need someone with more expertise and connections than that cretin Anthony. Someone like me."

Lucio was taken aback. Not only by his demeanor, but by his sheer audacity. And by his looks. The leather stud's voice was a low, sexy tenor and his blue, blue eyes displayed equal parts of mischief, cunning, promise and danger. Dash slowly walked - no, swaggered - over to him. Each step closer brought a chiaroscuro of warm yellow light playing off gleaming black leather. Each step closer made his breathing quicken and heart race. What the hell was going on? How did he know?

Dash stood in front of him. The crime boss was trembling. A hand came up and stroked through Lucio's wavy brown hair. Dash smelled of leather and chocolate. Lucio inhaled deeply. Oh God. Angel for Men. His favorite cologne. Giambi took a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. Dash pulled him closer and gently kissed him. He proceeded to run his lips across across Lucio's square jaw and down his neck, nibbling as he went along. The crime boss moaned with pleasure. Dash stopped at his open collar. "Command me, lord." he whispered. Lucio opened his eyes.

Blue eyes met brown. There was a hint of uncertainty in Dash's azure gaze. The spark between them burst into a raging inferno of desire and lust. The crime lord snaked his arm around his new lieutenant and partner and gave him a hard, deep kiss. He reached up and stroked the leather stud's face.

"When can you start?"

Whew! The Arnold mask really seemed to have a complete mind of it's own. And like my Derls, it's a near perfect fit. I knew when I first put it on a while ago that he was going to be a criminal - at that time I thought maybe hired muscle or an enforcer - but the whole sexy, wealthy evil character "clicked" from watching "Batman Begins". I was thinking, "What if Bruce Wayne was truly subverted by the League of Shadows? What would he be like?" He'd be Dash. Since this mask is part of the Greyland Masks (not Faces collection) the neck is a bit shorter all the way around. Hence the slightly S&M-ish use of the collar. For an incredible video of someone else with the same concept, check out "Gas Mask and Getting Ready to Go Out" on Youtube. Amazing!!