The Vampire Mary

(Author note here; I am currently having writer block on "The Twin Mage")

Vampires do not dream. Only the living do. For us, the world simply falls away, swallowed by an abyss of silence. It is neither comforting nor tormenting—just an empty void. Unlike mortals, we do not wake naturally. Something must force us from this deathlike slumber.

Hunger usually does the trick. But hunger never bothered me.

I woke to the sound of metal tearing. The lid of my sarcophagus was being ripped away, hurled across the room with terrifying force. My instincts screamed danger.

I reacted instantly, launching myself toward the ceiling. My fingers found purchase in the cracks of the stone, and I scurried along it like an insect, heading for the closed door.

Light flooded the chamber. I turned my gaze downward.

Four figures stood where I had been turned. Three were robed women—a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead—each gripping a staff and tracking my movements with trained precision. The fourth…

A familiar young woman.

She wasn't a girl anymore. Mid-twenties, strong, armored. Alive.

Her hazel eyes locked onto mine, and I saw her lips part in shock.

"Mom?" she whispered, uncertain.

I froze. That voice. That face. Recognition struck like a thunderbolt.

"Loosie?" My voice cracked.

Horror twisted her features. "Are you a fucking vampire?"

Instinct took over, the old habits of parenthood refusing to die. "Don't swear, daughter."

The three women snapped their staffs toward me. A surge of magic crackled through the air before I could react.

A storm of spells slammed into me, ripping me from the ceiling. My back struck the floor, and agony flared through my body—burning, searing, ripping—only for my wounds to seal themselves just as quickly.

"My spells aren't working!" the brunette shouted. She pulled something from her robe, pointing it at me.

But I no longer cared. My shock was fading, and in its place, joy bloomed.

I ignored their magic.

I was already moving, closing the distance between us. I had made peace with never seeing my child again, but she was here. I couldn't stop myself.

I wrapped my arms around her.

A sword pierced my heart.

I didn't care.

"My girl," I whispered, holding her tight. "My beautiful little girl."

Her breath hitched. "Mom…"

"The vampire's got Loosie! Restrain it!"

Chains of holy energy wrapped around my limbs, burning against my skin, but I refused to let go.

"You were sixteen the last time I saw you," I murmured. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

Loosie's voice shook. "Mom…"

"Loosie, that creature is not your father!" the brunette snapped. "Kill it!"

Something in my child's posture shifted. Then, without effort, she lifted me—effortlessly.

I dangled in the air, gripped like I had once carried her as a toddler.

Fury twisted her face. Years of pain and loss etched into every hardened line. She had grown into her features—strong jaw, short-styled brown hair, sapphire plate armor fitted to her muscular frame.

"I've got her," she warned. "Kill him quickly."

I needed to de-escalate.

I struggled against her grip but found no purchase. Strength wouldn't free me. Words might.

"Loosie, I know you're upset. But killing me won't help."

"Fuck off! You're not my mother."

More spells slammed into me—ice, fire, radiant energy—but they did little.

"Language," I chided.

"I don't have to listen to you!" she snapped. More spells. More futility.

She didn't believe me.

I sighed, then, using my deepest James Earl Jones voice, I intoned, "Luke, I am your father."

Her reaction was instantaneous.

"NOOOOOO!" she screamed, reflexively.

We had done this for years, ever since she was four and I showed her the original Star Wars trilogy. It had been our inside joke, one of the few times I had let her scream in the house. For a moment, she was my child again. Then, reality returned.

"The vampire's hurting Loosie! Do something!"

"My holy magic isn't working!" the brunette cried.

I glanced at her. "I haven't killed anyone. I'm still one of the good guys."

Her face went pale. "We're dead. We're all dead."

"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"Do something!" Loosie shouted. "I'm running out of stamina! She's a tough son of a—"

"Don't talk about your grandmother that way."

"You can't kill an ancient vampire without holy damage!"

A pillar of fire erupted beneath me. Pain—real pain—tore through me. I screamed. Loosie's grip weakened, and I seized the opportunity. I threw myself from the flames, rolling across the floor. My charred flesh mended within seconds. Spells kept coming. I dodged, letting my unnatural reflexes carry me out of harm's way. Panting, I turned to face my daughter.

"Would you please stop trying to kill me?" She didn't hesitate.

She flashed forward, sword swinging.

I barely sidestepped the first blow. The second cleaved my arm off.

It reattached. Instantly.

I blinked at my reformed limb. "Huh. That's new."

Loosie's sword swung again—this time, my head rolled.

It reattached, too.

Realizing I was functionally immortal, I did what every parent does when dealing with an overpowered, tantrum-throwing child.

I ran her in circles until she exhausted herself.

One by one, her companions collapsed. The cleric. The fire mage. The ice mage. Finally, Loosie herself dropped to her knees, completely out of breath. Perfect. I sat beside her, unscathed. She was six feet of pure muscle, but her face—beneath that stubborn anger—was still my child's.

"You were summoned here by some vampire cultists?" she asked between gasps.

"Yep."

"That must have sucked."

I smirked. "You know how I feel about puns, daughter."

"The lowest circle of Hell is reserved for traitors… and those who use puns."

I chuckled. "I'm glad you remember. Now, tell me the truth—am I, or am I not, a sexy vampire?" She made a disgusted face. "I'm not answering that."

I grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You're insufferable."

"And you love me for it."

She groaned, rubbing her temples. "Mom, I swear to God—"

"You mean sparkly God?"

Loosie snorted. For the first time since waking, I felt alive. And for the first time in ten years, my daughter laughed. This refined version maintains the humor, action, and emotional weight while improving readability, pacing, and clarity. Would you like me to refine the later parts of the chapter as well?

Loosie's laughter faded into an exasperated sigh. "This isn't how I expected today to go."

"I imagine fighting your long-lost, sexy vampire parent wasn't in your plans?"

She glared at me. "You are not sexy."

"You paused before answering."

"That was out of horror."

"I'll take that as confirmation."

Loosie groaned, rubbing her temples as if warding off a migraine. Her three companions lay sprawled across the ground, panting from exhaustion. The brunette—the cleric—kept a wary eye on me but made no further moves.

I finally took a moment to process everything. "So, you were summoned here too?"

Loosie nodded, her breath still recovering. "Yeah. You, me, and… Dad."

That made me pause. "Your father?"

She nodded. "And Kathrine."

I blinked. "Kathrine, as in your sister?"

"The one and only."

A strange mix of emotions washed over me—happiness, shock, disbelief. "You're telling me our whole family got isekai'd?"

"Seems that way."

I let out a long exhale. "I don't know whether to be relieved or pissed off."

Loosie gave a small, humorless smirk. "Yeah, that's about where I landed too."

I frowned. "Where are they now?"

Loosie leaned back on her hands, tilting her head toward the ceiling. "Dad was summoned by the 

Church of the Radiant Blade to fight some Lich King. Kathrine got recruited by a different kingdom to deal with a Fae incursion. And I—" she motioned vaguely at herself "—was brought in to help this kingdom after they sealed the Hellmouth."

I processed that. "So… we're all here."

Loosie met my gaze, nodding. "We're all here."

A slow grin spread across my face. "Then we should go find them."

Loosie hesitated. "Mom… there's something else."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She sighed, looking uncomfortable. "Dad… remarried."

My smile faltered slightly. "Oh?"

"Yeah. His name's Marcius."

I blinked again. "He?"

Loosie shrugged. "Guess he decided to explore his options."

I stared for a moment, then let out a breath. "Well… good for him. Is he happy?"

Loosie's face softened. "Yeah. He is."

"Then I'm happy for him."

She frowned. "You're really not mad?"

I gave a small chuckle. "Your father and I had an agreement. If one of us died, the other would wait two years before moving on—even if we didn't want to. No wallowing." I shrugged. "He followed the rules."

Loosie studied me, then sighed. "You really have changed."

I gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm an ancient vampire now. Perspective's a little different."

Before she could respond, a sudden shift in the air froze us both. A rift tore open in the space before us, a crack in reality itself. Blinding light spilled through the void, and from its depths, two figures descended. Angels.

One carried a spear, golden and crackling with divine energy. The other bore a massive book upon their back, inscribed with symbols that burned to look at. The one with the bow spoke first, voice resonating through the chamber like a bell tolling in the heavens.

"You have proven yourself worthy of the Trial of the Heavens."

I tensed, my instincts screaming. Loosie, to her credit, merely stared. The angel continued, turning their piercing gaze to me.

"If you pass, you will be granted the power of the divine." Their gaze shifted to my side. "Mary Innocent, you shall become a Caster of the Heavens. And you, Lela…"

I blinked. "Wait, who?"

From the shadows, a coffin lid creaked open. A woman stepped out.

Pale skin. Blood-red eyes. Hair the color of ink. Dressed in battle-worn armor, she moved with the same unnatural grace I did.

Loosie's sword was instantly drawn. "Who the hell is that?"

I turned to face her, sighing. "Lela is… the last survivor of the party that came to kill the ancient vampire that turned me."

Loosie's eyes narrowed. "And she's a vampire now because—?"

I scratched my cheek. "I, uh… saved her?"

Loosie's glare intensified.

"She was dying!" I added defensively. "I had just finished draining the ancient one dry, and she was barely holding on. So… I turned her."

Loosie groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "So now I have a vampire sister."

"Technically, I'm your vampire mom."

She made a strangled noise. The angel's voice rang out again, silencing any further argument.

"You have both been chosen."

The book-bearing angel turned their gaze to me. "Mary Innocent, do you accept this divine gift and ascend as a Caster of the Heavens?"

The spear-wielding angel faced Lela. "Lela Innocent, do you accept the power of the Lancer of the Heavens?"

Lela and I exchanged a glance.

Then, simultaneously "Yes."

Divine fire engulfed us. The world became light and pain. We screamed. For two days and three nights, we screamed.

Hellmouth - Capital City

The adventurer's guild was abuzz with activity as the Supreme Magisterium and the King of the Kingdom convened. The hall, filled with warriors, mages, and nobles, fell silent as light split the sky. From the heavens, the angels descended. The book-bearing one raised their hand, their voice resonating across the city.

"Mary Innocent, the Ancient Vampire, has passed the Trials of the Four Archangels." Gasps rippled through the crowd.

The angel continued. "She has earned a neutral status in the realm of Heaven, blessed as a Caster of the Heavens. Alongside her, her vampiric daughter, Lela Innocent, is also recognized."

They turned to me.

"I, Archangel Azrael, freely grant my power, unrestricted and without hesitation. Mary Innocent, do you accept my gift?"

My body still ached from the transformation, but my mind was sharp.

I met their glowing gaze and answered, "Yes. I accept without hesitation. Without regret."

The spear-wielding angel stepped forward. "I, Archangel Ariel, freely grant my power, unrestricted and without hesitation. Lela Innocent, do you accept?"

Lela, standing beside me—her once-red eyes now glowing gold—gave a sharp nod.

"Yes. I accept without hesitation. Without regret."

The world shifted. And we became something new.