Free Forbidden Passion by Rita Herron

animal,” he said bluntly. “After what happened to your family, I’d think you of all people would want to see him punished, Marlena.”
    Marlena frowned. “If he’s guilty, I do. But I just want him brought in alive so I can talk to him. I need to run tests on him as well, make a diagnosis so I can treat him.”
    “You want to use him as part of your research?” He shifted and made a sound of disgust. “You really think you can find a way to stop deviant behavior by altering blood and using genetics?”
    Marlena arched a brow. “How did you know about my project?”
    “I read the paper,” Dante said icily.
    Marlena swept a strand of hair from her cheek. “I do believe genetics plays a part in some people’s tendency toward violent and aberrant behavior. Other behavior is learned. But yes, I think there may be genetic markers or chemical imbalances that cause some people to be more aggressive or to commit criminal acts.”
    A predatory look tinged his eyes, his thick brows set in a permanent frown. Yet she sensed he was shutting down.
    She’d studied human behavior and body language, and Dante had secrets.
    His offensive stance screamed of intimidation and power, and his guarded expression warned her not to probe too deeply. -
    That she wouldn’t like the truth beneath his mask.
    For a brief second, she flashed back to the day her family was murdered, to the way Dante had run so fast. To the fire that had erupted in the woods. She’d thought that the monsters had started the fire.
    Dante had said he’d been camping in the woods that day, but he had come from the same area as the attackers.
    He couldn’t have been with them, could he?
    No, that was ridiculous. . . he had saved her. He was the sheriff, not a killer.
    She gathered the extra papers on the floor and glanced through them—odd, but they were scribbled notes about various research projects. Nothing specific or confidential, just a smattering of her suppositions and theories.
    Why would the killer have been interested in them?
     
     
    The need to protect Marlena warred with Dante’s need to keep his distance. Marlena stacked the papers on her desk. Tension lined her beautiful face, but her defense of Gerald Daumer had irritated the hell out of him. If Daumer had killed Jordie, he deserved to suffer, not be pampered in some damn mental hospital.
    Still, he sensed a demon had been in Marlena’s house, and that the killer might come back for her.
    He couldn’t live with himself if she died at the hands of a demon, especially if this latest attack was from Father Gio or his band of brothers.
    “I need to know where Daumer lives, where he worked, everything about him.”
    She nodded. “I’ll get his file and send it over.”
    “No, I want to check his house tonight in case he went back there.”
    Marlena nodded. “I assumed your deputy already did that. Dr. Chambers gave him Gerald’s address.”
    “I’ll call Hobbs.” Dante stepped aside to make the call.
    “I haven’t had time to go by the house,” Hobbs said. “But I did issue an APB for him.”
    “Give me the address and I’ll check out the house.” Hobbs recited the address and Dante quickly memorized the street name.
    As soon as he ended the call, he phoned Judge Brannigan for a warrant. If he found evidence, he didn’t want it to be thrown out in court.
    If he allowed Daumer to live long enough to go to trial…
    “Will you be all right here?” Dante asked.
    Concern shadowed Marlena’s eyes. “I’m going with you. If Gerald is home, I might be able to persuade him to turn himself in without anyone getting hurt.”
    He stared at her for a long moment, then finally conceded her point. “But you follow my lead. If we’re right, he may be very dangerous.”
    Marlena lapsed into silence as they walked outside to his SUV. Dante’s instincts rose and he scanned the property.
    The scent of blood seeped from the woods, along with the acrid odor of charred wood and flesh, but he