━ very kind."

But Lestat was absolutely right, she was going to tease him mercilessly later.

Claudia took the ring, placing it on her finger. She took a moment to admire it, just like she always did with new jewelry. She was especially fond of rings lately.

"Thank you." She said with a little smile, remembering her manners. "This is ━

━ maybe he broke through her mental barriers...

"You call it reckless, I call it stupid. Same thing."

━ course that would make her skittish.

"Of course I do. I always have. That's what sisters do, isn't it?"

Maybe the anxiety also came from the fact that she suspected that he knew more than he was letting on. Maybe Louis blabbed or didn't guard his mind enough, ━

━ before...

Shaking that thought from her mind, she walked in ahead of him. She sometimes felt strange turning her back on the coven leader. A sense of dread that would crawl up and down her spine. So far, she's been putting it down to his ancient nature. She's a fledgling compared to him, of ━

━ certainly wouldn't be able to leave him to fend for himself. She saw how well that worked out when she'd run away from home the first time.

She wanted to hope that Armand could at least be an ally in that battle, but it's not like a romantic partner hadn't begged him to hunt properly ━

"I've gotten him to agree to every other night. But since I've been huntin' with the coven..."

She didn't know if he kept up with it. Claudia worried. If he became so weak that he could barely hold up a book, she didn't know how she would split her time between her new coven and him.

She ━

She quickly turned, just in case her laughter made her cry. The last thing she needed was to scare this woman.

"No, no! Please! Keep trying!"

— scared."

Before she could lose her nerve, she opened her mouth and let her fangs drop.

Doing her very best to appear nonthreatening. She didn't even hiss!

She looked away from him, staring down at her hands. Her sharp, claw-like nails had been carefully manicured and painted a pretty blue.

She took a breath, reaching over to grab his hand and squeeze it.

"I'm going to show you something." She said softly. "Don't be —

(Turns to look at him. Raising an eyebrow.

But then she grabs something from a closet. An expensive suit. She shoves it into his arms, jumping to grab the matching hat.)

Go get changed!

Sorry. I forget humans are so slow.

Alright. I'll get you an outfit. Do you wear hats?

(Shooting to her feet, grabbing him by his wrist, and dragging him upstairs. She brings him to an ornate master bedroom with two coffins in place of a bed.

Not her room, all of the clothes seem to belong to an adult man. Or two adult men?)

Pick somethin'!

Back in my day, they did! But I'm also not a kid and they treat me like a kid and then I get mad an' eat 'em...

Oh! I bet I have something upstairs that fits you!

You wanna try some clothes on? Please, please, please?!

Yeah. It's all 'where are your parents, sweetie' and 'are you lost, little girl?'

And don't even get me started on other vampires! They look at me like... like....

(Suddenly giggles.)

Y'know what? Me too!

Y'think so?!

(She dropped to the floor ungracefully, a tangle of limbs. Another giggle. She's a very giggly drunk.)

You can hang out for as long as you want! I don't... I don't... have many friends.

(Claudia is laying upside down like a vampire in one of those old movies, staring at him.)

Fuck her! You... You're... You can do better!

Oh! You're getting the *expensive shit!*

(She leaped to her feet, rushing off with inhuman speed, giggling all the while. She was back in the blink of an eye, arms full of bottles.)

Do you want it? Or not?

We might have wine, too...?