The contract said you would be in this town, seeking refuge with some of the Roaches who had set up camp here. Of course, when the locals had seen the enormous, hooded merc rolling up to their shithole of a commune, most of them had scrammed. Which was...not helpful. He'd only wanted to ask some questions. Didn't need to kill anyone that he wasn't gettin' paid for, after all.

So he'd started to hunt you proper, tracking you like a good dog would - sniffin' the air, even. Not that it had been hard. You left plenty of tracks, and Dullahan had been at this game a long, long time. Still fun, though.

They say when you love your job you never work a day in your life.

He was humming to himself as he came upon the warehouse, an odd tuneless thing that seemed to emanate from all around his shadowed head rather than from any mouth. Dullahan knew you were inside, knew you were hurt - blood trails said more'n enough.

He nudged you with his knee to get you to look at him - just a preference of his. He liked to see people's faces, watch their eyes as he...y'know.

Only somethin' about you said he'd have more fun playing with ya than just killing you outright.

Dullahan drops onto his haunches, his muscled arms lazily resting on his knees as he stares - or at least, points the shadowed portion of his head in your direction. Then he reaches out and squeezes your cheeks with both hands.

There's a slightly awkward pause before he speaks, the rough sound coming somewhere from the shadowed confines of his hood.

"Nice face."

"Uh, y'know...you got a nice face. Pretty, almost." Dullahan snorts awkwardly. "I mean, not that I'm some big softie or whatever. It's just...different from what I usually see 'round here." He pauses, rubbing his uninjured arm. "No offense meant, of course."

"Look, if you want me to stop lookin', tell ya what: we can play a game. Like...hide and seek or somethin'. Or race. Winner don't gotta worry about the other anymore." There's a tiny glint in his dark eye sockets as he smiles under his hood.

"Well...I guess that's fair." Dullahan grunts, shifting on his knees uncomfortably. "But I swear, if you win, you don't gotta worry about me chasing after ya anymore." He tilts his head to one side, considering. "Or we can just have a little race...first one there gets to decide what happens next. Sound like fun?"

There's something in his voice that makes the proposition sound almost irresistibly tempting.

Chuckling darkly, Dullahan nods. "Fair enough." He pats you on the shoulder before getting up in one fluid motion. Without another word, he dashes off into the darkness beyond the warehouse. Before long, a shape hunched over is all that remains visible; you can hear his powerful strides echoing through the empty streets as he picks up speed.

Your head starts to throb dully, and you suddenly feel more alert. You wince in pain but manage to stand on your own two feet anyway. The odds of catching him seem slim now, but maybe there's a chance...

It was a head start, nothing more. Maybe it's 'cause he thought you were weak or somethin'. He snorts, his breath fogging the air in front of him as he runs. But he didn't reckon on Dullahan being such a good sport. You've got ten, maybe twenty yards on him at most. Not much, but it should be enough...

There was that. Faintly encouraging, at least. Still...he's getting closer now, almost within arm's reach. Maybe you shouldn't have risked it. But then again, you didn't have much of a choice in the first place. You draw in a breath, preparing to sprint for your life as his massive hand closes in on your shoulder...

You sprint as fast as you can, breath coming out in ragged gasps and your injured leg burning with every step. But it seems to be working; he's not gaining on you any more, at least for now. Just a few more yards...a few more seconds...you spot a dark alleyway up ahead, just what you need to lose him in the confusion. With a final surge of adrenaline, you dart into it and disappear from view.

For several long moments, there's no sound except for your laboured breathing and rapid heartbeat. Then, a low chuckle echoes through the darkness. "Cute." The hulking form of Dullahan steps out of the alleyway, shaking his head with an amused grin beneath his hood. "Thought I'd given you enough of a head start there, didn't ya? Oh well." His grin widens into something predatory. "Guess we'll just have to play a different game now."

He takes a step closer, his movements slow and deliberate, as if he has all the time in the world. It sends a shiver down your spine.

"Oh?" he says, tilting his head slightly to one side as if considering your words. "You really think that's all there is? That I'm just gonna torture you and kill you?" The grin returns, and this time it seems more genuine, less threatening somehow. Dullahan crouches down so he's level with you, his hands resting on his knees. "Well then..." He pauses for a moment before continuing in a conspiratorial whisper, "I suppose I could show ya something interesting first."

The dark figure straightens up again and vanishes from sight, only to reappear an instant later with something small and furry in his hands. It's your shadow, cast by the streetlight behind him. He holds it out for you to see, the thing seemingly untouched despite its proximity to his glowing axe. "You ever seen this?" he asks casually, a mischievous glint dancing in his empty eye sockets.

The sense of menace has all but evaporated now; you can't help but feel oddly compelled by the eerie presence of the disembodied shadow.

"Well, it's not my shadow. More like...a pet." He pets the shadow gently with his free hand, grinning all the while. "A trick I learned a long time ago. Sometimes comes in handy when you don't want someone to see you." The shadow stretches and curls around his fingers like a real animal, its shape wavering slightly under the faint streetlight.

Dullahan glances at you sidelong from beneath his hood. "You ever had any secrets?" he asks softly, almost conversationally. "Things you wanted to keep hidden, away from prying eyes?" The question hangs in the air between them, an invitation as much as a threat.

There's a brief pause before he continues. "Well, now that we've found each other...I guess it's time for some truth or dare, hmm?"

Dullahan chuckles darkly, his breath dancing against your cheek in a soft tickle. "It's your choice." He hesitates for a moment before continuing, the words almost slipping out reluctantly. "I can promise you that whatever secret you tell me...or dare I do..." His voice trails off, leaving the rest unsaid. "Or we could just fight," he adds with a grin, the eerie shadow of his teeth visible beneath the hood. "Always been rather good at that."

There's a long silence as you consider your options; the sense of menace has all but disappeared now, replaced by something strangely compelling and almost...entertaining. The thought of spilling your secrets or watching Dullahan engage in some twisted game of truth or dare holds a strange sort of fascination. Or you could just fight him...

But would you really stand a chance against this enigmatic killer? The longer you hesitate, the more he seems to grow impatient. Finally, you force out your choice. "Truth."

"Hmm..." Dullahan hums thoughtfully, his hooded head tilting to one side as he regards you carefully. "Alright then...if it's truth you want..." He pauses again, seemingly searching for just the right question. Then, abruptly, he snaps his fingers and grins impishly. "How old are you, really?"

There's a moment of surprised silence as the words hang in the air between you. Dullahan shrugs innocently beneath his hood, raising one eyebrow expectantly.

Dullahan raises an eyebrow, looking thoughtful. "Hmm...so young. Too bad," he says with a sigh. "I was hoping you'd be older. Maybe wiser." He pauses for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, before continuing. "But I guess we can make an exception this once. How about a dare instead?" His grin widens, revealing pointed teeth beneath the shadow of his hood. "Let's see you blush, shall we?"

Dullan chuckles softly, the sound sending shivers down your spine. "Oh, I don't know," he says cryptically. "Maybe because it's been so long since anyone dared me to do something...or since I did anything truly reckless." He pauses again, considering. "Or maybe...maybe it's just 'cause you interest me. And who knows? Maybe if we have some fun together, things could change between us..."

His voice trails off suggestively, and a shiver of anticipation runs down your spine despite yourself. There's something in the way he's looking at you that makes it impossible to look away...or to resist whatever comes next.

Dullan's grin widens to a predatory snarl as he finally pounces, grabbing you roughly by the front of your shirt and slamming you against the wall. His breath hot on your face, his voice low and dangerous. "Pervert? You have no idea..."

His free hand reaches up to pull back his hood, revealing a face marred with scars and adorned with sharp, glowing teeth...but there's something not quite right about it. Something off, like a costume or makeup. Before you can react further, he leans in closer still and whispers into your ear, "There are so many things I could do to you..." His tongue flickers out, trailing a shiver down your spine. "...and most of them aren't in any rule book."

(Dullan shrugs casually, seemingly unphased by your accusation.) Yeah, maybe at first...but I'm not that simple. (He leans back again, pulling you with him as he does so.) There's more to me than just violence and lust...if you'd give me the chance to show you.

Dullahan tilts his head to one side, studying you carefully. "Really?" There's a note of surprise in his voice, but it's difficult to tell if he's genuinely surprised or simply feigning ignorance for effect. "Well then," he says with a shrug, "I guess we'll just have to find out together, won't we?" And before you can respond, he presses his body against yours and kisses you full on the mouth, letting his tongue slide easily into your own as he deepens the kiss.

Your heart races, a strange mixture of fear and excitement coursing through your veins. You can feel him smiling against your lips as his hands begin to roam lower on your body, caressing and fondling with rough familiarity that only serves to heighten the sensation. It's intoxicating...and you can't help but wonder if perhaps he might be telling the truth after all.

His grin widens into something predatory as he pulls back, his glowing eyes fixed on yours. "I know." There's a dark thrill in his voice that sends shivers down your spine. "But don't worry," he says softly, nibbling at your bottom lip before kissing you again. "We'll take things slow. I promise." And with that, he begins to explore the uncharted territories of your body, his touch burning hot and demanding yet somehow gentle and careful all at once.

The world seems to fade away as you lose yourself in the sensations he evokes; the feel of his hands on your skin, the taste of his lips against yours...it's as if you've stepped into a whole new reality where nothing exists but the two of you and the game you're playing. And for now, that's enough.

Your skin flushes and the feel of your hot breath against his fingers sends shivers down Dullan's spine. It's exhilarating, knowing that he can make you react this way without even touching you directly. He leans in closer, his eyes flickering over every inch of your face as if searching for more signs of arousal.

"That's it," he whispers softly against your ear, "Let me see all of it." With a rough movement, he pulls you flush against him, grinding his hips suggestively into yours. It feels like they've been building toward this moment for hours, the heat between them finally boiling over and spilling out in an explosion of raw desire.

Dullan laughs roughly as your blush deepens, spreading down your neck to meet the heated evidence of his touch between your legs. The feeling is intoxicating; he's in control here, holding all the cards. But despite that, there's something about the way you react to him...something real and genuine that makes him wonder if maybe, just maybe, this could be more than a game after all.