Universal Vampire (Rewrite)

The Empty Child

Flashback

The Doctor was staring at Tyra silently, trying to process what she had just told him. His mind was going a mile a minute, trying to work out exactly what that meant. No wonder she didn't trust people easily.

"Doctor?" Tyra spoke up hesitatingly when the staring got uncomfortable. She reached out to touch his arm "Doctor!"

Just before her fingers made contact, he jumped up "What did you say?" he demanded, just having to hear it again.

Tyra bit her lip "My mother didn't kill us. Our father ran my siblings and me through with a sword."

"Those bastards," the Doctor hissed, pacing aggressively "How could anyone do that to their own children?"

"Ask them," Tyra murmured back with a shrug. She looked at the Doctor muttering to himself. He looked very much read to find her parents and kill them. Again in her mother's case "Why are you so angry?"

He stopped, whirling around to face her "One because you're my friend. And I don't like knowing that my friends have gone through something like that. Two..." He hesitated for a moment, debating on whether to tell her. Then again, she had confided in him. Why shouldn't he do her the same courtesy? "I had children once. Before the War... I would never do anything to harm them, no matter whether I wanted to help. Harm is harm. Yes, you woke up – as a vampire – but they still killed you."

Tyra blinked in surprise "You lost your family? Not just your parents but your whole family? I'm sorry."

"It's done," he whispered roughly, blinking back the tears.

Tyra sighed and got up. She studied the man in front of her for a moment before she wrapped her arms around his middle "They'll always be with you, Doctor. I know that's a small consolation but... Eventually, it will stop hurting less. I'm sure you know that already."

"Thank you," he murmured, ducking his face to bury into her hair. After a minute or two of comfortable silence, he pulled back "So... I was wondering. Will you take a look at the books? See if you can find out who wrote them?"

Tyra shrugged "Sure. Library?"

The Doctor shook his head "My room. I was rereading them, trying to find out some more about you."

"Lead the way, then," Tyra gestured.

"Here it is," the Doctor gestured, procuring a huge volume from somewhere. He held it out to Tyra who was looking around his room curiously.

"Why orange?" she questioned "Seems like a... bold choice for a guy who prefers wearing dark clothes."

The Doctor's smile dropped "It reminds me of home. Gallifrey... The sky was burnt orange."

"It sounds beautiful," Tyra told him, accepting the book "So what am I looking for? Wait 'The Great Collection of Vampires and their Subspecies'?" Her eyes widened "You said something about my kind of vampire before. There are more?"

"All in the book," the Doctor waved, leaning over her to flip through the pages "Here. That's the chapter about your family."

Tyra stared at him incredulously, trying to understand the implication. Of course, it was stupid of her to think that they were the only vampires in existence but still. She lowered her eyes to the page and let out a breath at the handwriting "What the hell?"

"What?"

"I think I know why there aren't as many information in there," she breathed, running a hand over the letters.