Gabe (Moon Hunter's Inc. Book 6)

by Catty Diva

  Moon Hunters

  Book 6

  Gabe

  By Catty Diva

  Edited by Addicted to Reviews

  Cover by Jesh Art

  2016 Copyright by Catty Diva all rights reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. All contents, including names, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, living or deceased, businesses, locations or events are completely coincidental.

  None of this work may be used, reproduced, exchanged or transmitted by anyone but the person the book was purchased for. Any reproductions of this book in any part or any form must be done with the express written permission of the author or not at all.

  Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

  This series is a spinoff from the 10 book series The Mating Games.

  The Mating Games series

  Book 1

  Razar

  Razar needs a mate, but on his planet there are nine males to one female. Humans look like they are compatible, but if they find out the secrets of his kind they will refuse to send them mates.

  Lista needs money for her mother's operation or she will die. Her sister has volunteered her to be a bride for an alien. If she wins the mating game, she will be free to keep the money and return home.

  Can she outwit him or will he claim her heart before it's game over?

  Moon Hunters Inc.

  Book 1

  Justice

  When did the good guys get so bad? Justice comes on swift wings in the dark. His friend and boss, Cash, has sent him to Earth to exterminate a criminal convicted on Oison and protected by the corrupt Earth government. While carrying out the judgement, he finds her.

  Envy is a pet kept by her evil master. Luckily, he's old and incapable of breeding, so she is still innocent in many ways. Justice has come to make her master pay for his misdeeds. Can she convince him to free her so she can live life on her terms? Will the handsome assassin accept her innocence as a payment for her freedom or will he demand her heart as well?

  Moon Hunters Inc.

  Book 2

  Cyn

  Deadly as Cyn, she’s sent on a mission after a bad guy. Alex is sexy as hell. Can he really be the monster her boss believes he is? It’s up to her to prove his innocence or take him out. If he’s really the anonymous mastermind behind the secrets at space station Alpha and the heinous lab hidden at Pluto, can she take out a man she’s grown to love? And how can she love a creature that loves to kill the innocent?

  Alex doesn’t know what to make of the beautiful but distant woman who was sent to negotiate a contract with him for Oison. One minute she’s hot as she shows interest in him as a man, the next minute she’s once again the cold negotiator. How can he find a way to get to the woman inside?

  With so much at stake and so much muddying their relationship, can they ever find their way to the heart of the matter?

  Moon Hunter’s Inc.

  Book 3

  Terrik

  She had escaped somehow and he felt guilty for not stopping her. The female was the chief of security, guilty of heinous crimes and must be brought to justice for them. Terrik felt guilt for another reason, too. How could he feel drawn to a woman so evil? It was his inability to react that had allowed her to escape. He’d frozen because of the attraction he’d felt for that woman, Lorelai.

  Lorelai had almost gotten caught. She’d been like a deer in the headlight as that incredibly sexy man had stared at her. Luckily, reason had returned and she’d gotten out of there. There was a job to be done and she was the only one that could do it. All she had to do was explain to the commander over all the labs, how she had been the only one to escape and make him believe it. The sexy stranger had to be cast to the back of her mind as she prepared to perform her duty.

  On opposite sides, was there any way they could ever get together?

  Moon Hunter’s Inc.

  Book 4

  Brutus

  Brutus dreams of a beautiful woman for weeks before he heads to Space Station Gamma. She calls to him and he wants to save her but he isn’t sure where she is. If he could find her, he would protect her from everything, including himself.

  Shari has known nothing but a life of hardship and abuse. She wonders if these knew people who have come into her life will keep their promises or just give her the same old excuses and pain the others always have.

  Moon Hunter’s Inc.

  Book 5

  Jazzy

  Jazzy is captured during a lab raid and taken far away to another lab. They intend to breed her to the local Romeo and while he’s hot as hell, he lacks personality.

  Jetson finds the new girl infuriating but strangely appealing. If she doesn’t give in, she might get them all killed. How can he seduce her when she seems determined to resist?

  Prologue

  Gabe had been sent on to Space Station Theta as an advanced scout. It was a lab just as they’d suspected and he managed to get a position as a guard. He would stay in that position and wait until the raid commenced, but this place was so cold and cruel, it hurt his soul.

  The people here were treated little better than animals and there wasn’t much he could do to help them without making his coworkers suspicious. His fellow guards didn’t see people in the cells they watched, they only saw a way to get a good paycheck. There were even a few who enjoyed inflicting pain and humiliating the residents.

  This was one mission he would be glad to see end. When it did, he planned to take a vacation somewhere where the people were friendly and the weather was warm. Maybe he’d even have some company on the trip.

  Chapter 1

  Gabe

  Donato watched as the sexy hunk of a guard walked past her cell again. She knew he was trying to get her attention. Instead, she looked away and pretended not to notice. Gabe continued on and circled around her section of the facility. When he passed again, she couldn’t help her gaze falling on his hunky body and especially his ass. Her female parts clenched, wanting him to fill them.

  She berated herself for even being interested in a guard. All she’d ever seen from them was cold cruelty. They were subhuman, taking and never giving. Her interactions with them had left her emotionally hurt and physically bruised. Donato refused to go through that ever again. Still, she had to admit he was hot and he appeared to be kinder than the others.

  Looking around her, she saw friends she’d known all her life. Most of them were women since this was a breeding lab. Those who weren’t bred or couldn’t conceive, eventually disappeared and that worried her. As far as she knew, she’d never been bred. They had never even tried.

  Lying back on her small cot, she stared at the same ceiling she had seen for as long as she could remember. The ceiling was industrial, concrete with metal bars worked through it. It was gray except in the spots where rust from the rebar had stained it.

  Sometimes when washing down the room or the occupants, the guards were overly zealous and the ceiling dripped with water. That was the case of the rust. Most of the guards kept their distance from her. She might as well be marked, hands off. It was hard to live with no physical contact, but she’d seen what some of the guards did to women and she wanted nothing to do with that.

  Donato had been out of her cage, but not in a long time. When she was young, they considered her harmless and cute. One of the doctors, Maria Mendea, had taken a liking to her. Sometimes, Donato would pretend she was her mother.

  That feeling was busted wide open when she was a little bit bigger. Doctor Maria was letting her watch cartoons. The manager of the facility came in and looked at her. “What is this animal doing out o
f her cage?”

  “She’s just a child. I didn’t think it would hurt anything to let her out for a little while.” Maria explained.

  “That’s not the kind of thinking you’re paid to do. Put her back where she belongs and if I see her out again, you’ll be looking for a new job.”

  “Yes, Sir. Right away.” Maria replied. She grabbed Donato’s hand and dragged her back to her cage. “Well kiddo, it was fun while it lasted.”

  That was the last time she saw Maria except in passing. Eventually, she didn’t see her at all. Either she had quit or transferred to another lab. There was no way she could ever find out. Even if she asked the guards and they told her, they were known to lie.

  As she grew older, she had come to understand that the people running the facility viewed her and the others who lived in the cells as subhuman. In time, she had learned her place and how she needed to behave. She was quiet and tried not to attract any attention. If she managed to do that, her life was uncomplicated.

  “Donato.”

  A whisper reached her ears. It came from two cells away. It was Freddie, one of the few males in the facility. He was still a child so no one bothered him most of the time. The exception to that was testing, which everyone went through periodically.

  “Freddie, are you okay?”

  “I don’t feel good.”

  “Did you tell the guards?”

  “Yes, but they don’t care. They told me to suck it up and get over it.”

  Mr. Sexy started on his way by again. His name was Gabe or at least that was what he’d told her. “Gabe.” She hissed.

  He immediately stopped and turned to her. “Did you need something?”

  “Yes, the little boy two cells down is sick. He’s never sick so I’m worried.” She explained.

  “What’s his name?”

  “Freddie is what we call him. I’m not sure what his designation is.” The doctors used numbers to refer to what they considered subjects. The residents gave themselves names to feel more human.

  She saw Gabe turn and walk back to Freddie’s cell. “How are you doing, young man?” He asked.

  “I don’t feel so good.” Freddie admitted.

  “Have they run any tests lately?” Gabe wondered.

  “No, not in months.” Freddie replied.

  “Let me see what I can do. I’ll be right back, okay?”

  “Yes.” Freddie said.

  Donato saw Gabe leave the hallway headed toward medical. It wasn’t long before he returned with one of the younger and newly hired med techs. She didn’t hold out much hope that Freddie would get help, but at least Gabe had tried.

  The med tech ran a scan and scratched his head. “The boy has a high fever. Where did you say the pain is?”

  “It’s right here.” Freddie said pointing low on his stomach.

  “My guess is appendicitis. I’m not skilled enough to do the surgery if that’s what it is. If it ruptures, that’s a bad thing.”

  “Can’t you do anything?” Gabe asked.

  “I’ll kick it up to my boss, but she’s lazy and not willing to do anything. If the other guy was on duty, he might help the kid. These people are cold and don’t care about anyone.”

  “Thank you, Steve. Do what you can and I’ll see if I can help.”

  “Sure, Gabe. I hate to see the kid suffer.” Steve said.

  Donato wondered if he’d still feel that way in a year. This place seemed to kill the kindness in those that worked here. She’d seen it happen time after time. Either they got disgusted and left, or they turned as cold and cruel as the people around them. It would happen to Steve and it would happen to Gabe, it was just a matter of when.

  She watched as Steve headed back to the lab and Gabe went the other way. Why would he head to the manager’s office? There was no way for her to know what was going on so she rolled over on her cot and stared at the wall until she drifted off to sleep. It was the sounds of voices that woke her.

  “Why did you feel you had to go over my head?” Doctor Lucy complained.

  “You didn’t seem interested in doing your job.” Gabe said.

  “You should try harder to get along with me. It’s in your best interests.” The doctor insisted.

  “Some of the higher ups are curious about why so many die here. Did you know they are losing subjects and can no longer replace them easily?”

  “What do you mean? Are you working for headquarters?”

  “I never said that. All I said was you should look after your subjects better. They are becoming very valuable.”

  “I will. I promise. You can tell your boss I’m working hard on the job.”

  Chapter 2

  Donato

  He’d only been on Space Station Theta a day when he saw Donato. The female was breathtaking and she had finally asked him for something. Gabe intended to see the boy cared for. He would have done it anyway but Donnie, the name seemed better for her, easier to use, and much less formal, asking for it made him even more motivated. Hopefully, the lazy doctor wouldn’t mention the connection he’d hinted he had to the lab headquarters.

  There was no connection and it would endanger his mission. That would be unfortunate since he only had a few days to go before Cash had enough hunters ready to crash this party. Gabe was ready to leave the lab. All of the labs were places that stank of misery and desperation. He just wanted to take Donato with him.

  “The boy seems to have appendicitis.” Dr. Lucy said. “That’s rare in our subjects.” Steve stood nearby waiting for instructions. “Prep him for surgery.”

  Steve immediately unfolded a floating stretcher and laid the boy on it. He gave him a shot and Freddie went under. He guided him out the door then down the hall to the operating room. Gabe sent up a silent prayer for the gods to watch over the young one. Poor kid needed someone on his side.

  Dr. Lucy gave him a look he couldn’t figure out before she turned and hurried after Steve. He was certain she’d do the surgery, he just hoped she was good. It was hard to tell when the woman was so lazy and she passed all the serious medical need off to the dayshift doctor.

  He walked over to Donnie’s cell. “Freddie’s got appendicitis. They have to operate but he should be fine since it hasn’t burst.”

  “Thank you, Gabe.” Donnie said. Yeah, she knew his name and it sounded so perfect when she said it.

  “You’re welcome. I’ll check on him later and see how things are going.” He walked away, unwilling to draw too much attention to the way he favored her. Maybe it was because of his youth spent in a place much like this, but when people knew what you loved, they often took it away.

  Gabe had rounds to finish anyway and he needed to try to check in with Cash. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t put it past Cash to send in the troops early and that might ruin the mission. He made his rounds slowly as if he had all the time in the world. He stopped by the operating room where Freddie was being treated. There was a large viewing window and he watched for a while but everything seemed to be going fine. The table was automated and as long as you did everything in the proper order, it was easy as pie.

  Seeing that even Dr. Lucy couldn’t mess it up made him feel okay about clocking out. It was time to eat before he tried to reach Cash. The cafeteria was on his way to his room. He saw all the usual bottom feeders hanging out in the cafeteria. A few of them were in here every time he walked through. They must have an easy job or be faking it like he suspected Lucy was.

  A doctor who was qualified in a place like this was a recipe for disaster. He’d do something about it but he couldn’t draw more attention to himself. It was just a few more days. That had become his mantra. Getting out of here intact with Donnie at his side was his goal. Gabe wondered if she would like the nickname he’d given her. Donato was so formal for a young lady like her.

  The cafeteria was serving meatloaf again. It was a gelatinous pile that wiggled as he carried his tray to the table. He was tempted to stab it to be sure it wasn’t alive. The foo
d here sucked. That made him understand the higher ups and the doctors who ate in the restaurant that served visitors. Guards weren’t allowed that pleasure, not that they could afford to eat all their meals out even if they wanted to. Part of their pay was unlimited meals but only in the cafeteria.

  The green bean casserole looked gray. While the meatloaf wiggled, the gelatin didn’t move at all. The bread was as hard as a hockey puck. Darren, one of the asshole guards Gabe disliked, sat with his back to him. A smile came over his face as he imagined throwing his bread at him. It would no doubt give Darren a concussion. It was a shame he couldn’t do it.

  Hey, Dude! Can I sit with you?” Steve asked.

  “Sure. How did surgery go?”

  “She made me do all the input on the machine. I’ve never seen a doctor so lacking in the ability to heal. The kid was doing fine when I left. He was in bed resting. Once I save up enough money, I’m getting the hell out of here. When I signed up for this, they lied. Now I’m stuck for six more months in a contract I can’t get out of without a lawyer.”

  “That’s too bad, Man.”

  “Tell me about it. Half of us are in the same boat and the other half, they love this shit. What’s your story?”

  “I hadn’t a clue. I was doing what I thought was similar work, but it wasn’t nothing like this.”

  “No shit. I’ve never heard of anything like this except working in a prison. This is some scary shit,” Steve said talking low, even Gabe strained to listen.

  “Six months will go fast. I just got here.”

  “You poor dumb sucker. I remember the feeling when I realized what I’d gotten into,” Steve said then he started eating.