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Insisting she wanted to burn her doll shop, an obsessive Madeleine burned her dead daughter’s clothes and filled Claudia’s room with miniature furniture, mirrors, gowns, and dolls. Louis watched in awe and dread as he witnessed Madeleine’s growing madness. As Madeleine vowed to protect Claudia at any cost, Louis reflected on his guilt, loneliness, and his growing feelings for Armand.

A week later, the three of them set fire to Madeleine’s doll shop. Claudia and Madeleine went their own way while Louis lingered in the smoke and the rain and found Armand waiting. Feeling drawn to him, Louis followed Armand through Paris to an abandoned mansion, thinking of everything he had lost and everything Armand seemed to promise: peace, direction, and a new path forward. Together they scaled the outer wall and entered the tower that served as Armand’s private shelter. 

Inside, Armand built a fire and told Louis he wanted him, and Louis shared that though he craved Armand, he still felt bound to Claudia. They talked at length, and Armand made it clear he wanted Louis free from other ties and relationships. He confessed that he had psychically compelled Louis to sire Madeleine by controlling his impulses. He also admitted to killing Denis in order to remove all obstacles for Louis. Eventually, he went on to describe how almost all vampires choose self-destruction, and that Louis fascinated him because he was different.
Later in the conversation, Armand warned that Santiago and the vampire theatre troupe were suspicious of Claudia and Madeleine, and he urged Louis to get them out of Paris. He also reminded Louis that the only real ways to kill a vampire are fire, sunlight, or dismemberment. As Armand pressured Louis to leave together, Louis, who was hesitant, still felt responsible for Claudia’s safety and asked Armand for more time. Armand slipped away into the night, leaving Louis to climb down from the tower and follow him.

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