Bound by Blood

Chapter 160- baby babble and mate rates

JIN POV:

"Ba!" Hae exclaims as I lift her up, leaning forward eagerly to press giggly wet smooches to my cheek, patting my face as she peers at me, head butting against mine as she dives back to place more, lips curved into a smile against my cheek. Just pressing them there. Leaning back and repeating. Pressing her lips at times gently to skin and at times an enthusasitic dive as her face smooshed against mine, soft giggles muffled against me.

"Ba?" I echo, smiling at her eager nod, cheeks all rosy pink from her bath, eyes drifting past me, hands waving and grabbing over my shoulders as she peers over.

I turn, twisting to see who's stepped inside the room, smiling at the sight of (Y/N) towelling her own hair dry, having paused at Hae Kyungie's call. Eyes flashing with soft maternal warmth.

"Not Ba...Ma! Mama." I correct, pointing to her. (Y/N) nods.

And then she walks over, tapping the tip of Hae's nose and pressing a kiss to my cheek.

Tapping my chest.

"And dada." She says.

"Mama and dada." I echo, lips stretching wide.

It never gets old hearing it, the novelty never wears off.

The sound of dada, of being a parent still makes my soul soar, bursting and thrumming with happiness.

A feeling of completeness that came with the happy giggly girl in my arms. The feeling of wholeness that came because of the sweet baby mate standing in front of me; mate, wife, equal.

For someone who'd been raised to reject human traditions and cultures. For someone who'd been taught only the laws and treaties and traditions of vampires, I never quite thought I'd relish and adore the human term so well.

Husband.

Never thought my ears would strain to hear it, wait to hear it. That my unbeating heart would clench and stutter when I did, murmured against skin, brushed with lips and crooned softly into my ear. Sometimes it was her, sometimes it was the others.

They all relished the term too. Eyes glowing red with pleasure and happiness to hear that (Y/N) called us by it, that she gave us the human term to her vampire mates.

"Husband, wife and baby." (Y/N) coos, tapping herself, me and then booping Hae's nose in turn, face softened with laughter and love as she leans in to press a kiss to pink cheeks.

I tap my own, eyes wide and imploring as I look at her. But she just laughs and ducks under my hand to press her lips to my own, lingering there for a few seconds before she retreats.

"You get them right here." She murmurs, tapping my lips as she moves back.

"Special eldest mate husband privileges." She whispers with a conspirator wink, ducking away behind me with a sudden whirl of speed when a protesting voice calls from the doorway.

"And is that just for the eldest? Do your other mated husbands mean nothing?" Hobi asks, eyes flickering red with tease and amusement, having stilled from where he'd made a silent sudden swipe for (Y/N), only to grasp at air.

She was getting better at using her enhanced abilities, better at controlling them.

And when I feel her lips curve into a smile against my shoulder as she peeks, I know she's delighted to have escaped.

"No it's not like that. It's just that Jinnie oppa gets all the kisses he'll ever want and more. Unconditionally. Without having to even ask." She says, teasing lips brushing against my ear, my throat, humming happily as she nips. From the way Hobi's gaze fixates on her, burning crimson and darkening, I know she's meeting his eyes and toying. Playing with him.