LATER - ZEDD

Dar and I are taking turns pacing and watching out the window. I'm going to have to remember to pay Thomas back for getting me in hot water with Dar. As 'good' as Thomas is, he certainly has a devious and potentially ruthless streak that I never would have expected, something I feel that I'm going to have to cultivate and direct away from me since he's planning to stay - as far as I know at least.

Once I managed to calm Goldar down and get him off my throat, we cleared the remains of dinner and cleaned up. Since I explained myself, we've not spoken - mostly from anxiety I think, though I'm not doubting that there is still some lingering hostility he's trying to keep from directing towards me as well. Thomas was right, though. They are, both of them, able to care for themselves and each other. The determined look in the two pairs of brown eyes- Suddenly, I stop dead in my tracks.

Many times I've thought that Scorpina's eyes reminded me of someone else's but I could never remember whose. Now I realize that her eyes are almost exactly like Thomas' eyes - particularly when they get that gleam in them. In their own way, Thomas and Pina are kindred spirits as well, which is certainly helped along by them both having access to the great power - making them almost like brother and sister.

I'm sure it's just wishful thinking, but if Thomas and Dar could find some middle ground on which to build a friendship, we would certainly be a tight knit group indeed. And if Thomas were to take more than a passing interest in the business, we'd be nearly - unstoppable. I like this idea very much - my two best friends and my mate by my side…

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but for a few minutes, I allow myself a fantasy of the future. Thomas and I, Pina and Dar - my family. My thoughts are interrupted when the door opens. I hear Thomas say, "I'm telling you, you're wrong. It'll be fine. The spirits told us this for a reason. Zedd and Dar might be Eltarian and more than a match for you normally, but I'm the only other one with potential access to the great power since I don't see either of them going to Phaedos to take the trials any time soon. Anyway, from what I understood, it'll be the great power that'll be needed."

"I don't know what would happen if Zedd tried to take the trials since he already holds power - and a dark one at that. If a power found him suitable, either it would temper the dark one or his dark power could corrupt the other. Right now, there's no way to know which would occur and how it would affect him, and not just power-wise but physically and mentally. You have to remember he's already suffered a major trauma when Zordon's wave hit. To disrupt his power again so soon, it might be dangerous for him."

Thomas sighs. "I have no doubt that Dulcea knows, but I'm not worried about that right now. First, we need to deal with our mates."

"Neither of which is favored greatly by Dulcea" I hear Pina remind him.

"You never know, they might grow on her, if she spent some time with them or even just talked to them for a bit."

"Remember, we're not supposed to-"

"I know." They come in the room, looking a little worse for wear. A little dirty and with a few scratches each, they otherwise look unharmed. Thomas gives me a cocky grin. "We're fine, just a little dirty."

"And hungry. And tired" Pina adds. Dar gives her a quick hug and a firm kiss before he heads to the kitchen. We all follow him. In short order, he has warmed some leftovers and placed them before the pair and they begin eating as if they hadn't eaten just before they left.

"So what happened?" I can't hold back the question any longer.

There is silence for a minute before Thomas finally speaks. "Nothing you need to worry about." His eyes sparkle as he trades a glance with the dark haired woman next to him. "We've just - advanced our relationship."

Pina giggles. "That's one way to put it," she agrees.

Dar's eyes narrow, as I can feel my own doing the same. Jealousy spikes through me. Dar and I both lean close to our mates and sniff. I can smell Pina strongly on Thomas and, by the look on his face, Dar smells Thomas on his mate as well. Both their scents, dirt, sweat and something that I can't identify - I don't like the conclusion that I'm coming to and by the growl coming from Dar as well as my own throat, he's gone the same way.

The pair between us seem to be oblivious to our distress - at least, until Pina says to Thomas, "I told you so."

"Yeah, because that was necessary to say," he responds dryly. "I thought they knew us better than that."

She shrugs. "It's the influence of the bond wanting to protect what it sees as belonging to them."

"Sounds almost like an animal instinct to me. Maybe they'd do all right after all."

"Not yet though." They clear the rest of the food from their plates. "Come on, boetie, let's reassure our mates." I'm brought up short by the affectionate name - which roughly translates to 'little brother' in Eltarian.

I'm equally surprised when he answers with, "Probably should, isosisko." Another Eltarian word - this one roughly translates to 'big sister'. As I'm sure Pina knew when she taught him the words, it stops both Dar and I in our tracks.

"What now?" Dar asks, puzzled. They trade smiles once more before turning to us.

"When we talked to Dulcea from Andros' ship the first time," Thomas says "she referred to me as a child of the great power. Pina is too, her more by blood, but still."

Pina continues. "With us both being children of the power, Tommy made the joke that it would make us siblings. He wasn't comfortable with the nicknames he uses for Jason and Hayley. Oh, that reminds me. Remember when the Rangers called for help and he called Hayley 'Sis'? It's short for sister, similar to him and Jason using 'bro'. I explained to him that the word is very similar to a word in Eltarian - and that it's, well, not very nice and absolutely not used in polite company. That lead to a discussion about language and we decided that the Eltarian words would work quite nicely. Plus we can shorten them if we like as well."

As they were explaining themselves, Thomas has been running his hands soothingly over my chest and I can see Pina doing the same to Dar. Thomas catches my gaze. "Lovely as she is, I'm not interested in her that way."

"And he's not my type," Pina says to Dar. "I prefer broader shoulders on my men."

Thomas' gaze sweeps over my frame. I only have about an inch or so of height on him, but comparatively, I am wider than he is. "Me too," he says. He slides off the stool he's sitting on and takes my hand. "Come on. Let's go upstairs." Without hesitation, I follow him. "I'll get a quick shower and then we can pick up where we left off earlier, if you want." The casual tone belies the grin he tosses over his shoulder at me.

My desire to kill Scorpina now mostly gone at both of their reassurances that nothing occurred and they now view each other as siblings, I manage to, with just a bit of work, play along with him now. I heave an exaggerated sigh. "Well I am a bit tired, and sore from Goldar attempting to kill me thanks to your little parting comment. However if you're up for it I suppose we could."

"Oh, well, if you don't want to-"

Not even giving him a chance to finish I press him back against the nearest wall and kiss him fiercely unable to help myself. After a startled moment, he kisses me back, his arms wrapping around my neck to pull me closer, which at the moment is anything but necessary. The bond is screaming at me to remove all trace of Pina's scent on him, however innocently it may have gotten there, and I know I surprise him again as I release his mouth only to begin biting purposefully at his neck.

"Oh hell, Zedd." Groaning and arching against me, his gasp I'm certain is heard by the remaining two in the kitchen as my hand moves quickly to unfasten his pants, my self-control almost nonexistent at the moment. "Zedd, wait, I-" Forgetting whatever he was going to say as I wrap my hand around him, it's only through sheer willpower I'm certain that he manages to push against me, signaling for me to stop. "Zedd bedroom, we need to go to the bedroom, now."

"Want you."

"Want you too, but not here. Come on, let me take a shower and get her scent off me - don't want you thinking about her in any way when we do this." Understanding why he feels that way, and knowing he's probably aware it is the reason I am being so aggressive right now, I'm not surprised as he removes my hand from him, giving me an appeasing kiss though as he does.

Firmly, I squash the urge to continue right where we are and release him. I lead him to the bedroom in record time though and urge him towards the bathroom. "Thomas, you need to get your shower. I'll be waiting here for you."

He shoots me a questioning look at the rough edge to my voice, but I don't explain myself and he heads into the bathroom. How do I tell him that I want to claim him in the most primal of ways without scaring him? Hopefully, the time he's in the shower will let me get myself back under control as well as returning him to his own natural smell, which should further silence the desire.