“What exactly does the rune allow you to do?” Amelia asked.
“Many things. It’s a very versatile rune,” Mistress Blossom replied. “I can use it to send nature energy into wood and other substances to restore them to their original shape.”
“And the healing?” Veronica asked. “Is that spell connected to this rune?”
“It is. Humans are, after all, a kind of animal, are they not? I can use my Mana to heal their injuries as well.”
“Remarkable,” Jacques murmured. “I never knew the details of how that worked.”
“Does it require a lot of Mana?” Amelia asked. “I would suspect such a powerful spell would expend an incredible amount of Mana.”
“It does,” the Mistress answered. “I began my magical training over twenty years ago, but I was only capable of casting the spell in its entirety last year. Before then, I could do some minor healing, but my Mana was not enough to cast the spell in its entirety.”
“That’s something worth keeping in mind,” I said, mostly for the benefit of Amelia. “We need to ensure I don’t draw any tattoos where the Mana cost is beyond our abilities to cast. It would make the tattoos practically useless for a good while.”
“That’s an excellent point, William,” Amelia said.
“It’s the sort of knowledge a Mage learns rather early in their schooling,” Mistress Blossom said. “Never purchase a vector with a spell that you cannot cast. Many Mages have found their coin purses empty, with a practically useless vector, and don’t have the coin to purchase one with a lesser spell.”
“They couldn’t just sell it and buy another one?” I asked.
The Mistress laughed. “That would be like selling one of these after it already had an owner.” She lifted a small wooden baton, wrapped in soft leather. It was in the shape of a cock, so it didn’t take me long to determine its purpose.
Both Veronica and Amelia blushed when the Mistress brandished the pleasure toy, but Jacques simply burst into laughter.
“That sense of ownership makes sense,” I said with as much seriousness as I could muster. “A mage’s vector is a very personal item.”
“Yes,” Mistress Blossom said, “very personal.”
“Well, thanks for answering my questions,” I said. “How about you show me where you want this tattoo?”
Mistress Blossom smiled coyly. “I had in mind a special place for a design that means so much to me.”
She placed a hand just above the mound of her sex.
“Can you draw it here?”
I raised my eyebrows at her, and she smiled.
Jacques roared with laughter and clapped me on the back. “This talent of yours brings its perks with it, doesn’t it, lad?”
“I probably can draw it there,” I said. “But it will probably hurt quite a bit drawing it on such sensitive skin.” I’d have to avoid my attention wandering and staring at the Mistress’s sex, but I was sure I could manage if I focused.
Mistress Blossom looked directly at me. “The more the better, my dear,” she said in a husky voice as she bit her lower lip.
“As you wish. You’ll need to lie back somewhere comfortable.”
She climbed up onto one of the tables and sat, leaning back against the wall. Then, with brazen confidence, she slipped off her short skirt and let it fall to the floor. I gasped. She wasn’t wearing any underwear. She lay back and opened her legs to allow me access to the space below her navel. With her long legs clad in their purple stockings, her flat belly and her cleanly-shaven sex, she was a beautiful sight. Her face was set in an expression of desire, and she bit her lower lip as she anticipated what was about to happen. The look in her eyes was sultry.
I took a deep breath and drew my tattooing dagger, then dragged a low stool over to the bench, placing it where I could see the charcoal design on the floor. I felt myself growing hard at the sight of her. She was obviously getting pleasure from this, so I figured there was no shame in my enjoying it too. I smiled at her and shifted a little; my stiffening cock pressed against my trousers. I met Mistress Blossom’s eyes as I reached down to adjust myself and get comfortable, and she smiled and laughed.
“Let’s get started,” I said.
Amelia, seeming somewhat excited herself by the prospect of the prone and obviously aroused Mistress, held the green Nature Core as I sterilized the tattooing dagger with a controlled burst of flame. Then I found the soft spot in the Core and punched the dagger through. There was a strong pull on my Mana, and I saw the ink flow up into the dagger’s Ink Well. A sudden realization struck me. It wasn’t just the dagger that drew the ink up through the hollow tip. This was my Ink Mage power, my control over the ink. That was a very satisfying connection to make.
I looked at the flowers. For such an intricate design, I was glad for the fine tip of the tattooing dagger.
I placed my hands against the soft skin between the mound of Mistress Blossom’s sex and her navel and prepared to make the first pin prick. Already I could feel the comfortable, trance-like state which accompanied the tattooing process. I felt very calm. The ink was in the dagger, and my Mana was poised to flow and help me bring the tattoo out. At this moment, I felt every inch an Ink Mage.
I pressed the tip of the knife against the skin.
“This will hurt a bit,” I said. “Let me know if it’s too much.” I pushed harder, until the point pierced the skin.
The Mistress moaned softly.
“Too much pain?” I asked.
“Never; it’s delicious.”
I was leaning over in my stool, my face close to Mistress Blossom’s sex. I could smell the sweetness of her arousal. Was she legitimately aroused by the pain of being tattooed? It certainly seemed that way, and the thought only made me grow
