Though the brief phrase 'neat trick' belies the thousands of years of history behind the ability his family has gained and taught down generations until it ends with him, the last of his line, the last of the Mayerling family that once ruled the Western Sector of the Frontier, Mayerling settles his ruffled feelings quickly because the acceptance with it is rare.

That's perhaps one of the most notable behavioral patterns in Trench. The lack of bioengineering fear of vampires into humans' very DNA. Given his lack of resources with which to complete the opposite, to remove the fear, this one aspect of life in Trench is thoroughly refreshing. The rest—

D warned him about a lot of the rest.

After she accepts the offer, Mayerling nods and lifts her again, with the benefit of time. What a different even a handful of seconds can make. Mindful of the height of the duct, he slows down when she starts to enter it and supports her weight as she can work her way into the duct.

His eyes return their attention to himself—his tall frame, his broad shoulders, his broader cloak. Sharon may fit easily in the vent, but he knows from unfortunate experiences how it can go. In what is a far less impressive use of his skill, he melts the cloak around him until he takes up less space and leaps gracefully up into the space Sharon left behind.