Christmas At Purgatory (The Thalia Series Extra #3.5) Read online

  Christmas at Purgatory

  By Jennifer Bene

  Text copyright © 2015 Jennifer Bene

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Sarah Caterisano.

  This is a short, fun, ménage erotica story set at Purgatory, the submissive training school from The Thalia Trilogy. I wrote it as a little Christmas present for Thalia’s fans and wanted to make sure everyone that wanted to keep it and re-read it would have the chance. I know that many of you love these characters as much as I do, and so I hope you enjoy this fun little romp.

  Christmas Day

  Eight months after the auction

  Thalia lifted the large pot off the stove and almost dropped it. It was incredibly heavy, and half full of boiled potatoes that Maggie was going to help her turn into mashed potatoes.

  “Ye got it, just pour them into that colander!” Maggie turned back to the oven and yanked the door open. “Oh, shite! Hurry up, I need ye to clear some counter space.” Thalia nodded and carefully tilted the pot over the colander in the sink. Steam rose up in a cloud, Maggie was cursing to herself about the turkey, and music was blaring from the speakers in the living room. It was chaos, utter chaos, and Thalia loved it. She’d never had big holidays at home, especially not after her mom died and her father spent most holidays awkwardly trying to ask her questions during commercial breaks of whatever was on TV. She had spent most of her Christmases in an undecorated house unless she was able to escape to a friend’s. But that was even weirder, because their family just stared at her and felt sorry for her.

  This was the Christmas Thalia had always imagined.

  Loud, crazy, and full of laughter and people who loved each other. Maggie and Kalen had wound garland up the stairs, around the fireplace, and they had a giant tree lit up with lights. There was a wreath on the door, a pile of presents under the tree, and a mountain of food that Maggie had insisted Thalia help with. She was supposed to be learning how to cook from Maggie, but if she was honest she was really just a glorified assistant.

  “Where do you want to put the turkey, Maggie?” Thalia left the potatoes in the colander and set the empty pot in the other half of the sink.

  “Over here, cover the carrots and move them somewhere!” Maggie was flushed. The kitchen was really hot, but since it was freezing outside it wasn’t too bad. Thalia rushed to move the carrots and Maggie hauled the turkey out of the oven and replaced the space with it. It was golden, and smelled amazing. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation.

  They were moving around each other with ease in the big kitchen, Maggie was laughing and half telling her to do things, and half doing them for her. If Maggie had let Thalia do everything, dinner would never be ready by the time Kalen got back from his evening visit to the few holiday residents of Purgatory. She and James were personal guests this time so they were staying with them at their home and not in the Dormitory.

  “Ladies, it smells amazing in here. Are you sure I can’t help?” James leaned in the doorway and Maggie shoo’ed him with her hands.

  “If I needed your help James Hawkins, I would ask for it. This is my kitchen, now out. Out!” Maggie was insistent but laughing as she said it, and James lingered long enough to smile at Thalia and shrug before he turned away.

  “I think the potatoes are done?” Thalia put down the masher and shook out her arm. Maybe Kalen should incorporate cooking into the sub training, because she was pretty sure she had just completed an arm workout. Maggie swept over, tasted them and let out a cheer.

  “Yes! Brilliant!” With a heavy breath Maggie turned to survey the kitchen. It was a wreck, it would take hours to clean, but they’d done it. They’d made Christmas dinner, serving dishes and containers were stacked everywhere. A feeling of accomplishment washed over Thalia, she’d never made a dinner like this and the chaos of pots and pans were her trophies.” I’m glad you two were able to come, Thalia.” Maggie smiled at her as they started separating out the various dishes into two serving sets - one for the Dormitory and one for Kalen and Maggie’s table.

  “I am too. Honestly, I’m grateful we ended up coming to Purgatory. The original plan was for me to meet James’ parents and...” Thalia bit her cheek as she trailed off, focusing on sealing one of the dishes.

  “Not ready for that yet?” Maggie asked, looking over her shoulder at her.

  “Ladies! I’m not interrupting, I come bearing liquor.” James had a glass of whisky for Maggie and a glass of wine for her. A blush rushed up Thalia’s cheeks as she hoped he hadn’t heard her comment over the Christmas music in the living room. She knew he’d been working while they were cooking, and she could only cross her fingers that he’d been too engrossed in that to listen closely.

  “Thank you.” Thalia grabbed the wine and leaned up to kiss him. Maggie grabbed the other glass and with his hands free James took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Thalia’s waist. She tasted the scotch on his lips, on his tongue, as he intensified the kiss. She moaned into his mouth and then Maggie cleared her throat.

  “We’re not done yet, James. Can ye keep it in yer trousers for a bit?” Maggie rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she started separating the dishes again.

  “Of course, I can. At least until after we eat.” He grinned at her before he returned his sea green eyes to Thalia. His hand slid down and he squeezed her ass through the dress. “I love you, baby.”

  Pure joy. That’s what she felt every time he said those words. The stupid smile on her face probably expressed it well enough, but she pressed another kiss to his lips before she responded. “I love you too. Now I really should finish helping Maggie.” James nodded, his eyes roaming over her one more time before he backed out with a slightly dramatic sigh and returned to his laptop in the living room.

  Maggie lowered her voice, turning to make sure James had left. “So, not ready for the parents yet?”

  Thalia shrugged and whispered back, “I don’t know, Maggie. I was still trying to figure out if I was ready for that, and then his parents ended up going to Morocco for the holidays and it kind of sorted itself out.” She sighed. “At least he wants me to meet them? I mean, he wants me to meet everyone. His friends, his co-workers, his sister, his parents.”

  “That’s a good thing, right?” Maggie was leaning back against the counter, all of the serving dishes covered for their dinner. Thalia took a drink of her wine to try and settle her nerves.

  “It’s a very good thing. I mean, I love it. I love him! I love that he wants me to be a part of his life, that I don’t embarrass him, that I’m what he wants, and he’s what I want, and we have each other.” She bit her lip, stacking the food for the Dormitory together and avoiding eye contact. Somehow Maggie always knew what she was thinking.

  “Is there a ‘but’ in there somewhere?” Maggie prodded.

  “But what if his family doesn’t approve of me?” Thalia tipped up her wine and finished it, lowering her voice even further. “Family is important. It’s big, how do I know they’ll like me? And what happens if they don’t? I don’t want to be some issue between them.”

  “We like you.”

  “You
and Kalen are different, and you know everything, and his family can’t know everything.” Thalia grabbed for her wine glass again, but it was empty. She looked over at Maggie’s whisky in confusion. “You haven’t touched your drink.”

  “Oh! Yeah, I’m just hot. Ye can have it, it looks like ye need it.” Maggie laughed and handed the glass over and Thalia took a burning sip of it. “I know James’ parents, and his sister Katherine. They’re nice people, Thalia, I’m sure they will love ye.”

  “You’re right. Of course, you’re right. It’s stupid. I’m being stupid.” Thalia finished the whisky with a cough, because she needed to relax. Everything was perfect right now. She was surrounded by a real Christmas, and friends, and the love of her fucking life was sitting in the living room while she was whining about the one day, the some day, when she’d have to meet his parents. She was freaking out over a maybe, over a possibility, when what she needed to do was pour herself another glass of wine and continue gossiping with Maggie like they had been most of the day. There had to be more tidbits about Julie’s elaborate wedding planning that Maggie hadn’t shared.

  “MAGGIE!” Kalen’s voice boomed from the front door and Maggie’s eyes lit up, well, like it was Christmas. Thalia rolled her eyes at herself as Maggie darted out of the kitchen like a sprite and she followed her into the living room laughing. “Ah, blessing, that took me longer than I thought. How’s dinner coming along?”

  As Thalia walked in the room she saw Maggie wrapped in Kalen’s arms, three Doms standing behind him in big coats, and James lounging on the couch with his laptop balanced on his knee. Maggie kissed Kalen fiercely before pulling back with a broad smile. “Dinner is all packed for them to take to the Dormitory. If ye all will come with me?”

  “Thanks, Maggie.” Two of them spoke at once and she quickly kissed Kalen again before bounding back into the kitchen to boss more people around. Maggie was totally in charge of her house all day, to the point where it was difficult to imagine her as a sub sometimes. If she wasn’t married to Kalen, Thalia might even question whether they played, but even when Maggie was in bossy mode, she still reacted to Kalen’s Dom voice.

  They’d had a lot of giggling discussions about it. When their men got all Dominant, Thalia and Maggie melted. So did Julie and Analiese at that. Really, it was probably a universal sub trait. Instant warm puddle around a confident Dom. Brad was even succeeding at that with Chloe and Lauren.

  “Hi, baby.” James spoke up, and Thalia looked back at him to find him smiling at her. Her confident, smart, sexy, loving, perfect-for-her, Dom. “I’ve missed you today.” James reached out his hand for her and she let him pull her onto his lap. He’d moved the laptop to the table and focused all his attention on her. It made her want to glow.

  “I’ve missed you too. Did you and Kalen have fun earlier?” Thalia squirmed on his lap as his hand slid up her thigh under the edge of the dress. Even though the house was crowded with people he continued, and James pinched her thigh to remind her to be still. She had to bite down on the noise she almost made so she wouldn’t attract further attention.

  “Yes, shopping in Kalen’s playroom is always fun. It’s like a live catalogue.” James’ lips pressed against her shoulder, his teeth grazing her skin as he moved his mouth up her neck. “You will have some late Christmas presents when we get home.”

  “I already said you don’t need to get me anything, you and Kalen and Maggie bought me a yoga studio! That’s more than enough, for this Christmas and the next ten! AH!” Thalia stifled a moan as James’ questing fingers finally found their way to her panties and his deft touch brushed her clit expertly. She wanted to spread her legs, to lift her hips to urge him to continue, but the house was packed and she could clearly hear the Doms stacking food to carry back. Not to mention Kalen had only wandered into his office for a moment.

  “Baby...” James’ lips were against her ear, his fingers rubbing slow, tantalizing circles over that bundle of nerves. “Don’t argue with me on presents. It’s Christmas, and I sincerely think you’re going to like what Kalen and I have for you later.” His nip on her skin accompanied by that dark promise made her moan as she grew wet under his fingers.

  “James... what -”

  “No. Don’t ask. It’s not a present if you know what it is.” His voice was all clear control and it sent a shiver through her that was not helping the soft waves of pleasure he was creating between her thighs.

  “Please?” She lifted her hips, unsure if she was asking to know about the present or asking if he’d push her over the edge.

  “James Hawkins!” Maggie was leading the Doms to the door and turned to stare at them, as did everyone else. Thalia pinned her knees together with a fierce blush, trapping James’ hand. “What happened to keeping it in yer trousers until after dinner?”

  “Mine is still in my trousers, Maggie. And Thalia isn’t wearing any.” James chuckled and it broke the staring contest. The Doms laughed, glancing at each other as they stepped out into the cold and Maggie just rolled her eyes, shutting the door behind them.

  “Quit being a bastard, James, and help me get all this food our girls made onto the table.” Kalen was still laughing as he walked back to the kitchen and James moved her off his lap with a quick swat to her ass. She was blushing, and flushed, but she didn’t really care. They’d played at enough clubs, been around enough people as they watched or were watched. It didn’t matter because with James it all felt easy. Not just easy, it was fun.

  Dinner was delicious, and they’d have leftovers for days. They opened crackers before they got to the presents. Small, brightly colored tubes that came apart with a loud pop, the smell of powder, a paper crown, and a little toy. Thalia’s had a whistle, and it may have been dumb but she wanted to keep it. It was her first cracker, her first British Christmas, and her first decent Christmas since her mom had passed. Maggie was wearing her bright green paper crown and somehow made it look regal. Her mop of curls holding it up like she was meant to wear it.

  Presents were opened. So many fun and beautiful things - the best of which, for Thalia, was a mockup of a large ad that would run when her yoga studio finally opened. James refused to tell her how much the ad campaign would cost. Analiese had made the actual advertisement, Julie had helped create the logo, and Maggie had helped Thalia pick the name. Nirvana. More than anything Thalia loved it because it was a labor of love, between her and her friends and James. It was all of theirs, even if they kept insisting it was hers.

  Another glass of wine later and she was nestled next to James on the couch, Maggie was sitting on the floor surrounded by scattered wrapping paper while she leaned against Kalen’s leg. He was on the other end of the couch, taste testing a bottle of Scotch that James had given him, and their laughter was winding down from another of Kalen’s stories about James. This one had involved a lot of sangria, a trip to Spain, and a session at a club called Culminante that had been complicated by the arrival of the sub’s boyfriend. It had made James curse when Kalen started to tell it, and it was worth it to listen to the two bicker like the old friends they were over the details of the story.

  When they were done laughing James spoke against her ear. “Baby, I’ve got one more thing for you.” He shifted behind her and then there was an envelope in his hand. It was plain, off-white, and had his elegant script across the front. It was addressed to her.

  “What is it?” She turned in his arms to find his eyes that deliciously dark green that told her whatever was in the envelope had his thoughts already well into no clothing territory. Thalia felt the blush in her cheeks as she took it from him, turning it over to slide out the note.

  Thalia,

  The last time we were here at Purgatory you had a dream, a fantasy, which you shared with me. I promised you that if you made it through the program, I would do my best to make it happen. I would, and always will, do anything for you. Creating an opportunity to play with Maggie and Kalen was easy. If you still want it, all you have to do is te
ll me.

  Love,

  James

  Her heart was beating so hard in her chest she could feel it shaking her. Was he serious? Was James serious about this? Her head spun, but heat pulsed between her thighs. She wanted it. How many times had she thought about the dream she’d had? The cropping she’d taken from Kalen? The hungry way Maggie had looked at her after? The things Julie had told her she and Maggie did? Her lips parted as she pulled in a breath and she turned in his arms again.

  Not an ounce of jealousy, or concern, or worry on his face. A smile crept over his lips as he trailed a hand up her arm to cup her face. His eyes were still bottle-glass green. She knew he and Kalen had shared for years, that he wouldn’t be upset with her for saying yes. They were so much stronger than petty jealousies and insecurities. They were strong enough to recognize the desires in the other person and do everything in their power to make them real. And that’s what James was offering her. Tonight.

  Officially. Best. Christmas. Ever.

  “I want it.” Thalia whispered and a low groan rumbled in James’ chest as he leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her lips. His restraint was obvious when he didn’t take it further. Then he pulled back and looked past her to Kalen and nodded slightly.