Page 17 of The Vampire's Storm

To repent, when she was older, she decided to focus her life’s work on helping sick people. So she became a nurse.

It didn’t feel like it was enough.

She then trained to be a scientist to understand more and contribute to curing diseases and millions of people. She’d been working on a cure for diabetes at BioZen for years when Sage showed up.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would leave. BioZen was one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. But she had the bitch from hell for a boss.

So, after years of being bullied by her manager in the job of her dreams and making absolutely no headway with their research, Brooklyn decided that perhaps working on an antidote to protect an entire race of people—while different from her own—would be a very substantial contribution in her life.

One that Brad might think was pretty cool.

He loved sci-fi, and she liked to imagine him being impressed with her open-mindedness.

That and it got her away from her smothering parents. From the moment Brad had died—and because they didn’t know she was to blame—they’d become highly protective and clingy.

Heck, she’d been almost twenty-six when she moved out of their home. If her mom had her way, Brooklyn would be wrapped in bubble wrap and living at home still.

Which was understandable after losing her child.

But it was stifling for Brooklyn, coupled with the unconfessed guilt she carried. So moving to Maine to work in a private science lab was hugely appealing.

Has she run from her guilt? Yes.

If she could just repent and save her soul, then perhaps she’d be able to truly live her life.

Brad, my darling brother, I am so fucking sorry.

Twenty-four hours after the offer, Brooklyn had resigned and packed up her life.

“We are very proud of you, whatever you do. But I hope you come home regularly,” her mom had said after she’d given them skeleton details about what she was doing.

Frankly, she was looking forward to not seeing that damn treehouse for a while. She’d cried so many tears she’d lost count.

Confessing was said to cleanse your soul, but she wasn’t sure. The moment her mother took the nose spray from her, the pain and unspoken words had appeared in her dreams so many times.

She knew the day would come when she confessed, but not yet.

Maybe it was why she hadn’t married yet. She was so singularly focused on making things right, so...what?

Did she think she would go to hell? Maybe. Maybe not. The guilt she lived with every day was hell enough.

I killed my twin. My brother.

I’m a murderer.

Nothing could change that.

Brooklyn reached into her drawer and took out her phone and keys. Then stood and stretched her arms out.

“I’m going to head out,” she said, tugging her white lab coat open and hearing the buttons pop.

She realized she was the only one there as Sage and Dr. Abbot had headed into one of the other rooms.

“Oh, well. Have a nice night Brooklyn. You too nobody. Okay. See you.” She snickered to herself.

Bang.

Her eyes shot up as a huge vampire crashed into the clinic with zero finesse.

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