"Thank you," Mayerling says and means it wholeheartedly, though it's surely not what she wanted. It's not her inclination to do things politely and with the mere exchange of a few words when a more direct avenue can lead to what she wants. Oh she was the queen of deception and leaning on his feelings when the time called for it and her own desires were turned against her by the unfathomable interests of that month's Pthumerian, Dorothea. Yet that was only because the direct approach failed.

"I appreciate your efforts not to draw attention to it, should I need rescuing," Mayerling murmurs against her lips, "At best it is an embarrassment to have others realize, and I greatly hope no one will come to fear being in my presence, however much or little I can do about those who already distrust vampires." Rhys came around in time. Rhys pulls on his heartstrings in a very different way since April.

He kisses her again, softly. "I admire you too, Sharon," Mayerling says, "At the moment, I should like to admire you at length and perhaps whilst we make the argument certain activities are not in fact better than sex. What do you say, love?" Because he knows how she feels, but Sharon's choices remain, as ever, her own.