The Doctor and Peri were following the creature's footprints into the forest. Peri hadn't spoken to the Doctor since he decided to leave the body where they found it rather than alert the authorities.

The Doctor was trying to explain to her that if they called the police, they were likely to hold them and ask them difficult questions like where they came from, addresses, how they came to be in Albuquerque or why did they just happen to be walking late at night, the same time the body was found.

"Do be reasonable, Peri," the Doctor implored.

"Reasonable?" Peri snapped, "Have you thought about the next poor soul who's going to find that body? We could at least have moved it!"

"And if we got caught, then what? Hmm?" the Doctor retorted. " 'Oh sorry, officer, we were just moving the body so nobody would find it'?!"

Peri made an exasperated growl, fed up with the Doctor and his stupid clever brain.

"Besides, if the police decide we're suspects, we won't be able to investigate for ourselves, will we?" the Doctor asked.

Peri sighed, "I guess not. Okay, so how do we start?"

"The question isn't how, Peri, but why," the Doctor said, stroking his chin as he followed the little footprints, affecting the manner of Sherlock Holmes.

Peri followed behind him. "Why do we start?" she asked, perplexed.

"Why didn't the vampire attack me?" the Doctor corrected.

"Perhaps you're an acquired taste," Peri joked.

"Perhaps," the Doctor said, contemplating.

"Oh, c'mon! When you're a vampire, blood is blood, right?" Peri asked, concerned the Doctor didn't see her joke.

The Doctor looked at Peri.

"If you're referring to human blood, yes. But the blood of a timelord is vastly different from human blood. The poor creature had no idea what she was dealing with," the Doctor said, concerned.

"You're not feeling sorry for her, are you?" Peri asked, amazed.

The Doctor came to a halt at a tree where the footprints stopped. He looked up into the branches, searching for signs of disturbance as he spoke.

"It's very likely that she was turned into a vampire against her will," the Doctor said, "I've never heard of a twelve year old who wanted to be a vampire, have you?"

"Well, no," Peri said.

"She could be hundreds, maybe thousands, of years old, but she's still young, immature," the Doctor said, "She needs someone to help her."

"You gonna adopt her?" Peri asked, half joking.

"We'll see," replied the Doctor.

Owen was twenty meters away, hiding in the darkness, as 'Red Coat' and his friend were investigating the tree.

It hadn't been hard finding them. Owen followed Abby's directions to the tunnel and had gotten half way when he spotted the man in the red coat.

He could hear him and his friend talking about vampires as though it as nothing, just a minor inconvenience to their night.

He had still been a little unsure whether he could attack 'Red Coat', but when he heard they might take Abby away, it made him angry. He'd kill anyone who'd try to take her away from him.

He'd just have to get close enough.

"Hey, mister!" he yelled.

The Doctor turned as Peri gasped in fright. A boy came out of the darkness, with his hands behind his back.

"Hello!" the Doctor called, "aren't you a bit young to be out on your own."

"What's it to you?" the boy retorted.

The Doctor frowned. "Children shouldn't be on their own on a night like this. It's dangerous," the Doctor leaned down so he was face to face with the boy, "There are monsters in the darkness."

Owen stepped back a little. This guy was giving him the creeps. He clutched the knife tighter behind his back.

Peri spoke up, "but don't worry, kid. You're safe with us. Right, Doctor?"

"Of course," the Doctor straightened up, "I'm sorry. This is Peri, my assistant, and I'm the Doctor." He held out his hand in greeting.

Instinctively, Owen reached out and shook the Doctor's hand. Then with his other hand brought out the knife and aimed it at the Doctor's shoulder.

Owen's moves may have been quick but the Doctor was faster. He caught Owen's arm at the wrist before the blade could reach his skin.

Panicking, Owen tried to pull away but the Doctor wouldn't let go.

"NO!" Owen cried, "You can't take her from me!"

"Whoa!" Peri exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

"Grab him, Peri," the Doctor instructed.

Peri threw her arms around Owen's waist, while the Doctor wrestled the knife from his grasp and threw it out into the snow.

"Abby's my friend!" Owen yelled, "She's mine!"

"Abby?" the Doctor asked, "Is that her name? The vampire?"

"ABBY!" Owen screamed up into the trees, calling out for her.

"Do you know where she is?" the Doctor asked Owen. "Where can we find her?"

Owen continued to struggle as Peri held on to him.

"Doctor, I'm not sure I can hold on much longer," Peri said.

The Doctor ignored her and continued to interrogate Owen.

"Boy, tell me where she is before she kills again!" the Doctor demanded.

There was movement in the trees up above. Peri saw a figure as it moved swiftly above them.

Peri let go of Owen and pointed. "Doctor, up there!"

The Doctor turned just as Abby jumped down on to the Doctor, knocking him to the ground.

Abby took a moment to look over to her companion.

"Owen, take care of her," Abby said, pointing at Peri.

Owen and Peri locked eyes then both turned to the knife that had fallen in the snow. They both ran for it, but Peri was larger and stronger than Owen and managed to wrestle the boy's arms behind his back while he struggled. She made no move to hurt the young boy, but she wasn't going to let go.

While the Doctor may have been larger and considerably heavier than Abby, Abby had no trouble subduing him. The Doctor did his best, using what he could remember from his Venusian Aikido training, throwing punches at the child-beast, but it made no difference. She threw him around like a rag doll, pummelling him into a tree. He cut his head on one of the lower branches and the blood dripped down his head, on to the snow.

Drained of all energy from the fight, the Doctor sat up with his back against the tree and Abby wiped the blood from his brow and brought it to her lips.

She licked the blood from her fingers. In that moment she felt a rush of energy she'd never felt before. She could see in her minds eye the life of the Doctor. The scent of death she'd caught earlier wasn't death at all. It was a kind of renewal, when his body died it would become new again. She could feed again.

Her face took on the features of a demon. She smiled, glad of the prospect of a one-man-feast. She walked towards the Doctor, slowly.

"Peri," the Doctor said, frightened.

Peri immediately let go of Owen and ran to the Doctor's aid, attempting to tackle Abby.

Abby turned and regarded Peri with sheer disdain. As soon as Peri got close, Abby lashed out with the back of her hand, sending Peri flying ten feet before landing on her back, winded.

"Abby, don't do this," the Doctor begged, "I'm a doctor, I can help you if you let me."

Abby bared her teeth, ready to strike.

"Abby, please!" the Doctor begged, "Let me help!"

Ignoring the Doctor's pleas, Abby sank her teeth in and drank deeply of the Doctor's blood.