Until proven otherwise, I 100% think Armand and Daniel's bond is the way it is because of two things:
1. The fact that the blood exchanges between them during their past love affair helped to seed it, and like any seed, it just grew over time to the full bloom it is at now, long before Daniel was turned, and
2. Armand's status as one of the most skilled Mind Gift users among vampires on the planet. I think a part of it is a manifestation of Armand's will and desire to be alone with Daniel. To be with him alone, and no one else in the world. And on Daniel's end of it, that is what Armand became for him in the books during their romance, which was Daniel's whole world.
I don't care if they both think it's fucked, I think it's beautiful. π
And yes, I think Armand was feeling that strong bond, and how it works between them, during everything in Dubai as well...