In Queen Of The Damned, the story covers Daniel's first meeting with the Vampire Armand. Daniel is the mortal who interviewed Louis in Interview With The Vampire. After the interview, Daniel had begged Louis to give him the Dark Gift. Louis had fed upon Daniel and when Daniel awoke to find Louis gone, he replayed the interview tapes to find Lestat's address.

Queen Of The Damned reveals that Daniel had made his way to the house that Lestat lived in, whereupon Armand made him his victim. Armand find Daniel interesting and let's him go "free" saying that Daniel is safe for as long as Armand finds him interesting. Daniel spends the next few years travelling the world, only to find Armand there at the most unexpected moments. When they do meet, Armand feeds on him.

Daniel seems to wander in a half life between living and dying and feels despaire much of the time.

Their relationship develops to the point where Daniel longs for these encounters and finds himself looking for Armand and expecting to see him wherever he is. Eventually, they love each other. However, Armand will not make Daniel a vampire, much to Daniel's confusion and dismay. He wants to be united with Armand as a vampire himself.

As Armand denies this wish, and as Daniel realises that he is dying while Armand remains immortal, resentment grows. Daniel cares less and less about himself as he flees Armand after each meeting. Daniel can live off the royalties he makes from sales of Interview With The Vampire and he continues to travel to far away places to get away from Armand. Inevitably, each time he flees, runs himself down doesn't look after himself and in a very weakened state, he always wishes for Armand back. As if reading his mind (and he is!) Armand always appears to take him home.

This conflict of emotions continues within Daniel for years. He hates the life he has, wishes with all his might that Armand transforms him into a vampire, Armand refuses and Daniel resents him for it.

Unspoken and inexplicable danger stalks the vampires in Queen Of The Damned, and Armand, being scared and also in love with Daniel, eventually succombs to Daniels wishes to transform him. He gives the Dark Gift to Daniel.