Invaluable

Sense flexed her magic subconsciously, her long hair acting the part of an arm as it wrapped around the handle of the teacup in front of her and brought it up to her lips. She took a sip from the cup, idly confirming the time by the light of the day outside.

It was almost upon her, the guest she had requested come to her manor within Äußerst soon to arrive. She admitted to some trepidation over the man, but that was more a gut reaction from her pacifist beliefs than anything.

Todd Anfalen, was his name. A Second Class Mage. Of course, most people knew him by his title, Mage Bane. He had made a living in an extreme and dangerous way, hunting down other mages that earned a bounty for heinous acts. Lake all those who were given power, some Mages let it go to their heads and preformed atrocities.

Todd accepted requests to deal with those Mages, his unique magic seeming to be incredibly versatile in killing other Mages. How it functioned was a subject of intense debate amongst most of the Mages that knew of him, but unlike all of them Sense actually knew precisely how it worked, being the proctor of his Second Mage Exam.

Magic Cancelling.

Todd could stop magic from flowing in a predefined area, which is how he killed all the fallen Mages he hunted down. Luring them into a zone that took away their greatest asset, then killing them with his own physical fighting capabilities. It was a brutal and effective tactic and one that made her highly wary of the mind that devised it.

She had been watching the reports of the man that filtered through the Continental Mages Association, She assumed that whit his chosen profession, he was merely attempting to find an acceptable outlet for a hidden bloodlust. It was a common thing for the clever psychopaths, to predate on targets no one would miss.

However, throughout his time since his Second Class exam, he had only ever accepted contracts for targets that had been independently given a bounty. No extra contracts and there were even a few cases where he had exposed that the mage in question was innocent of the crimes they were accused of. Those were not the actions of a bloodthirsty murderer.

It made her think he was trustworthy. It was only a matter of time, for someone with his skills, that Todd would ascend to the position of First Class Mage. She knew some of the other First Class Mages took prospective candidates under their wings, allowing them to work better together once said candidate succeeded.

She never thought that it would be something she herself took advantage of, but the way his magic worked was just too potentially useful for her to remain idle. Not just to the Association as a whole, but to her personally. Of course, her personal reasons had no bearing on her decision to earmark the Second Class Mage. None at all. They were merely an additional benefit.

Her quiet reflection was broken by the knocking of the front door.

---XXX---

He was very large for a mage. She remembered thinking the same thing the last time she had seen him, at his Exam. Of course, as someone who specialised in killing his targets in close combat, some form of physical training would be expected. But still, to see a mage with a physique this defined was a rare thing.

He crossed his arms, muscles bulging, his vest having no sleeves, as he beheld her, “Now this is a surprise, Miss Sense.”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow, wondering where he was going with this.

“You are famously pacifistic, you know? So you of all people hiring a bounty hunter is very unusual. Who angered you enough to want them dead?”

“No one.” She spoke, sipping her tea, “I wish to hire you for a non violent application of your unique magic.”

He paused at that, before sighing, tension releasing slowly, “Well. That is not my normal thing. But you are one of the few people alive who have seen it in action, I suppose. I am curious to know what non-violent application you had in mind, however.”

She fidgeted slightly, now that she had to speak about her desire it seemed a bit silly, “...My magic infuses my hair with overlapping reinforcement spells. Each strand is harder than steel and impossible to cut.”

He stared at her, the implications of what she had just told him running through his head. Mages rarely disclosed their unique magic to each other, the fact that the First Class mages had such knowledge of the ones who attempted the Exams meaning that they likely knew more Mage’s unique magic than anyone else in the entire world.

Besides Serie, of course.

Still, Sense lost nothing in revealing this. She had no way of countering Todd, she knew. Should he wish to fight her, his knowledge of her magic would matter little. After all, without it, she was just a decently fit woman. Certainly not trained martially like he was.

“I see. The hair care must suck.” Was his first response.

“It does.” She nodded, deathly serious, “It’s hell.”

“So you want me to help with that? You understand that if I use my magic on you…” He trailed off, his tone leading.

“I would be defenceless, I know.” That was why she had invested so much time into researching him, to ensure that this would not end badly.

“That’s quite a lot of trust to put in someone you’ve only met once… You’ve been observing me?” He deduced.

“Yes. You are not the type to throw away your reputation, besides I would be willing to pay very well for your time.” This was the clincher.

She knew that as a wondering Mage hunter like him, a steady, reliable income was very enticing. Rather than chasing bounties or being commissioned through his reputation, this was a pay check that he could count on for his personal finances.

“Alright then, if you’re sure. I know not to turn down a good job when I see it. Do you have a room for me to set up my spell?” He agreed easy, her own reputation as a First Class Mage allowing him to not suspect any foul play on her part.

“There is a clear room through that hallway, first on the left.” She spoke, strand of hair moved to point out the hallway in question.

“Thanks. I’ll call you once I’m done.” He walked off, turning his back to her nonchalantly.

It was a bit gratifying, she was used to people being a bit more wary of her through the fearsome aura the title First Class carried. His confidence and fearlessness was something she noted when they had first met and more than anything, it was what made her think that he was likely to be a successful First Class candidate.

She gained a lot of sensory abilities from her magic, her hair acting like antenna, allowing her to watch as he moved throughout the room she had emptied, aside from a comfortable chair. She frowned as she watched his preparations, noting how different it was from the ones he had made a year ago.

Had he improved the spell? Was there different preparations and circles for different areas? Either way, it was an amusing thing to ponder as he completed his ritual.

“I’m ready.” He called out, confirming that he had paused because he had finished.

Standing, she calmly made her way to the room, using her hair to pick up and bring with her brushes and a mirror. Transferring the brushes to her hands, she moved to the chair in the centre of the room, setting up the mirror with her hair.

“Do you need anything from me before we start?” She inquired.

“No.” He answered, “But I would advise bracing yourself, I’ve been told that this can me quite disorientating.”

He paused, waiting for her to steady herself. After taking a breath, she nodded to him, casing him to nod back and snap his fingers. The sigils in the room lit up, and Sense’s body froze. Her breath caught, the feeling, at once so familiar and alien, invaded her. It had been so long since she could not feel the world around her, the spells in her hair giving her a sense of absolute security.

As Todd’s spell drained her magic away, she was once again just a normal woman. It made her feel strangely naked. Her hair, no longer held in perfect form by her will, fell around her head, the weight hitting her all at once.

“Are you okay to continue?” The deep voice of the man broke through her thoughts, causing her to jerk back into awareness.

“Yes, it was just as you said. Disorientating.”

Her piece said, she started to work on the point of all this. Beginning with her fringe, she started to drag a brush through her hair, working and styling it in a mundane way for the first time in years. The room was filled with the faint rasping sound of a brush being drawn through thick hair, the rhythm the only thing filling the silence.

Looking into the mirror, Sense could see her guest leaning against a wall, arms crossed as he watched her work. Rather than looking bored or concentrated, he seemed to have a fond smile on his face.

Thinking back to her thoughts on his possible ascension to First Class Mage, she decided to try and get to know more about him, “Is my hair care amusing?”

“No, not at all.” He replied, smile not fading, “It just reminded me of my younger sister. She used to ask me to help her with her hair, and it just looked familiar.”

“I see.” She moved to a different part of her mane, pleased that without her spell being active, it was much less rebellious.

“You must be proud.” He said, continuing the conversation, “Such a thing must have taken a lot of effort to upkeep.”

“I suppose.” She hummed, “I can keep it in any style I want with focus, but it makes it difficult to move individual strands.”

“I understand. It’s hard for me to control multiple versions of my own spell.” He replied.

The conversation faded, making Sense frown. She was not skilled at this whole conversation thing, “Tell me more about your sister.”

“She’s dead.” Was his response causing her to internally curse for bringing it up, “Oh don’t worry. Happened a long time ago. Rogue Mage used her as a sacrifice.”

“Is that why you hunt them?” She asked softly.

“That and it’s what I’m good at. My magic doesn’t really have a wide application.” The words were matter of fact.

“Well I appreciate it. Thank you for this.”

He smiled, “You’re welcome.”

---XXX---

The sessions became a regular, weekly thing. Todd appreciated the steady income, allowing him to set up residence in the city of Äußerst, doing odd jobs around the town. As for Sense, the time that was freed up from her hair care routine was very valuable. Even more so once he started helping instead of merely watching.

She was leery of letting someone else touch her hair, but soon came to enjoy the gentle feeling of firm hands dragging a brush trough her hair and scratching her scalp. Several times she felt sleepy after the fact, a feeling of peace and security tempting her like a sweet lullaby.

In fact, she was starting to feel in a similar way around him in general. Safe, as if he exuded an aura of protectiveness that drew her towards him. Similarly, he was a lot more relaxed around her, no longer holding himself as if he expected an attack from any moment.

Of course, she was still very watchful over the other Mage. The thing she noticed the first time he set up his spell in her home was a pattern. Every time he did so, the steps were different, the circles drawn in another way. It was subtle, only something that would be revealed through close observation, but it was true nonetheless.

Soon, she decided to confront him about it.

“Todd.” She walked into the room, watching as he paused in drawing the circles.

“Yes, Sense?” He turned towards her, not at all seeming bothered by the interruption.

“You can stop pretending.” She spoke seriously, watching as his expression wavered slightly before stabilizing.

He put on a confused dace, “What do you mean? I’m not pretending about anything.”

“Your spell.” She pressed, “You don’t actually need all this preparation. You’ve done it differently each time, it’s an act.”

“It’s not.” He tensely deflected, “I really do need to…”

Sense decided to cut through the issue, controlling her hair to lunge forward, aiming to trap him in their threads. Only for it to fail as he snapped his fingers, causing the hair to immediately retract back towards her as the magic was sealed.

“Sure you do.” Was her deadpan response.

So she was right, he really didn’t need to set up anything to seal away magic, he could do it at any time. With a simple snap of his fingers, he could turn any mage including her powerless. He was even more dangerous than she thought, if he did not require any preparation, she could not imagine any way to defeat him.

The thought made her breath catch for some reason.

“Fine.” He said, scowling, “You’re right. I don’t actually need the rituals or circles.”

His whole demeanor changed as he stalked forwards, the effect of his magic meaning that Sense was entirely unable to act against him as he advanced into her personal space. She was no longer before the amenable Mage she had hired, now he resembled a dangerous hunter, a predator. The though sent an inexplicable rush of excitement through her.

“I can count on one hand…” He growled, the sound reverberating through her, “The number of people who know that. The amount of times I would have died should it have been common knowledge? That I can’t count at all.”

She understood. The fact that he could take away a mage’s weapon instantly was a powerful trump card, but he could only use it if someone gave him the chance too. How he had spread disinformation about how he needed to prepare an area beforehand was devious, lulling those he hunted into a false sense of security.

She saw now why he was so successful.

“I see no reason to spread it around.” She spoke, backing up as the large man continued to press down on her, “I merely wanted to satisfy my own curiosity.”

“How can I trust you?” He demanded, “Your colleagues, the other First Class Mages… Serie herself… soon you will tell others, the more who know a secret the less secret it is.”

“I…” Her back hit the wall, leaving her nowhere else to retreat.

Her breathing picked up as he hemmed her in, his solid body invading her personal space and bearing down on her. She swallowed, her through dry. This didn’t make any sense. She was stuck in a small room with an extremely dangerous bounty hunter, powerless and unable to stop him from doing anything he wished to her. She had no chance of winning, or even fighting back. Her defeat was total.

So why was she so excited?

His arm slammed next to her head, causing her to jump, “Sense. You have to swear to me, that you’ll…”

Her mouth moved before she could stop it, “Make me.”

His brows creased, confusion flitting across his face before he took in her appearance. Breathing heavily, flush faced and glossy eyed. His own gaze lit up in understanding, before an utterly sinful smile broke out over his face.

“Oh, my.” The huskiness of his voice sent shivers through her, “Sense. Don’t tell me you a want to fight me. You know you have no hope of beating me, don’t you?”

She panted, her voice raspy as she uttered, “I’m a First Class Mage. I won’t lose so easily.”

That was a lie, and they both knew it. The thought of it, how easily this man could utterly crush her, was alluring unlike anything she had every experienced.

Suddenly, her moved quicker than she could follow, pinning her hands above her head, holding them in place with contemptuous ease, not letting her budge no matter how hard she struggled. Even with just one hand, he could control her so easily…

“Now, Sense. You’ll promise me to keep quiet, or else I will have to punish you.” He wiggled his hand, the one not grabbing hers, in front of her face.

Her excitement building, all sorts of salacious ideas racing through her mind as what punishment he had in mind, she spoke, “You mean you’ll…?”

“That’s right.” He nodded, a vicious grin on his face, “I’ll tickle you into submission.”

Tickling? Tickling?! The absurdity of what he threatened was like a bucket of ice water over her dirty thoughts, the fantasies fading away like a mirage. Leaving only anger in their wake, as her nostrils flared in indignation.

“Tickling?!” Was her snarled exclamation, the venom it contained seeming to take him by surprise, “You have me, completely at your mercy, unable to resist you doing anything you want to me… and you want to tickle me?! What kind of man are you?!”

His surprise faded into amusement, as he needled her, “Oh my, what scandalous things do you imagine I would do in this situation? Unfortunately, Sense, I’m not the kind of man who would force myself on someone.”

He leaned down, the look in his eyes reigniting the fire in her belly, “If you want something else, you’ll have to ask for it.”

“I… that’s…” She sputtered, completely floored that this brute wanted her to ask to be ravaged. She only recently discovered this side of herself and he wanted her to ask for it out loud?!

“Use your words, Sense.” He grinned, sadistic glee suffusing his voice.

“You’re so…” She muttered, “I… can’t…”

She couldn’t take the embarrassment.

“A shame.” He said, loosening his grip on her hands to her rising panic, “In that case I’ll just have to…”

“Wait!” She shouted, causing him to pause, before with burning cheeks, she looked to the side and muttered something.

“What’s that Sense? You’ll have to speak clearly.” She hated that smug look on his face.

“Take me.” She spoke quietly before she started railing at him, eyes closed in frustration, “Take me, dammit! You got me so worked up, revealed all these embarrassing desires, take responsibility! You brute! You absolute…!”

Her eyes snapped open as she was cut off, her voice dying in her throat as his lips slammed into hers, preventing her from being able to speak. His body pressed her into the wall, crushing her in delicious heat as he kissed her, his grip on her hands tight enough to lift her off the floor to keep her head and the right height.

Fire raced through her veins as they kissed, his tongue forcefully invading her mouth and plundering it, beating her own into submission with little effort. Gods, he was so strong, she thought as she struggled, unable to even budge. He could do anything he wanted to me and I wouldn’t be able to resist…

The thought lit a pyre inside her, her core heating up as the pleasure built. She ground against him, the only movement she could preform as their tongues dueled. She was right, there was no way she could beat this man, no way she could stop him. The friction was delicious, merely winding her up more, but soon it was not enough.

A needy whine escaped their lip lock, causing him to pull back and smile evilly at her, “Oh my, what a cute sound.”

She averted her eyes, only to yelp as her boldly lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder like a conquering barbarian.

“Lets go find your bed, shall we?”

She could swear she dripped at the thought.

---XXX---

When they reached her bed room, she was in no mood to continue messing around. He swiftly disrobed the both of them, but before he could act she had already clumsily posed herself on all fours, looking over her shoulder at him and begging him to take her.

He had obliged of course, slamming into her with a fervor that stole the breath out of her lungs. Each thrust sent a jolt through her body, the rough, careless pace only stoking her excitement. Yes, this is what she was missing, someone who could look past her fighting strength and just treat her like a woman!

It proved too much, the teasing and build up far too powerful to overcome, and soon she came undone. Orgasming explosively, she lost the strength in her arms, causing her to lump forwards, the only thing keeping her knees upright was him inside of her body. All strength failed her as she became unable to even meet his thrusts, merely a thing for him to use.

“That’s no good.” He growled, the sound sending a vibration straight to her sodden womanhood, “Can’t have you collapsing on me like that.”

He reached forwards, not that she could see, before doing something that drew a gasp from her defeated form. Grabbing in his strong, dominant grip her prized hair, he pulled it like reins, forcing her to rise from the sheets, a hoarse scream of pleasure ripped from her lips.

Pulling her back with his new toy in time with his thrusts, he proceeding to drive all thought from her head. Each tug sent a jolt of pain from her scalp traveling down her body, reaching her abused pussy and transforming into stabs of pleasure.

The sensations bled into each other, a confusing muddled mess that bore her from orgasm to orgasm. Time ceased to hold meaning, her world shrinking down to only his cock inside her, the feeling of his thrusts and the tight grip he held over her hair.

Soon however, she was brought back to reality by a particularly deep thrust, his hips coming flush with hers as he released himself inside her. He collapsed afterwards, panting and sweating, forcing her sore, limp body to crush into the sheets beneath them.

“I might get pregnant…” She mused, emotionless, all feeling fucked out of her.

“I’ll take responsibility if that happens.” Was his tired response, as he rolled over, freeing her but leaving her feeling cold.

“Hmm. You better.” Was her response, smiling as he grabbed her and moved her on top of him, their sweaty forms fusing together like a puzzle.

She closed her eyes, tiredness catching up to her. The night was maelstrom that had swept her along with it, but lying here, she had no regrets.

She would likely be sore tomorrow, but for now she decided to not worry about anything and merely fall asleep on her conqueror, content.