[ Oh, it lands alright. Lestat is a proud man and doesn't take criticism well - if she was calling him stupid or pathetic, then he might have a problem - but this kind of talk is ticking all his boxes. Boxes he didn't even realise he had. ]

I don't know what handicap you could give me; I'm strong enough to break restraints, I am quicker and bigger and faster than you are...

[ He opens his mouth and presses the tip of his tongue to the point of one of his fangs in a similar manner to the way someone might scratch their head in thought. There is one handicap he has, after all. Quite a major one. ]

But then, I can't reach release the same way you do, it's not quite so easy for me. You see, I thought you were going to be the chew toy in all of this.

[ It's corny, but it's also. Not untrue. ]