Hurt by the Mate I Loved Deeply

Christina's POV

Halfway through the wedding ceremony, I was still grinning like an idiot.

Not that polite, fake kind of smile, but the genuine, uncontrollable kind. My mouth corners kept curling up involuntarily, and my cheeks were starting to ache.

Me, Christina von Eisenburg, a three-hundred-year-old vampire noble, was smiling like a twenty-year-old girl just because a human man was holding my hand.

"You're beautiful," Sebastian whispered in my ear, his grip tightening, "So beautiful I can hardly believe you're real."

I turned to look at him. His golden-brown hair gleamed in the sunlight, and those amber eyes gazed at me intently, filled with... honestly, I couldn't read them. But the tenderness was real—so real it made this old monster who'd seen countless lies feel her heart race.

Damn it.

"Don't be silly," I heard my voice floating, "I just... wore a nice dress, that's all."

Sebastian laughed, that low, magnetic chuckle. "No, Christina, you'd be beautiful even in a burlap sack."

Fuck, did this man take special classes in sweet talk?

The guests around us whispered, and I could hear every word—vampire hearing was no joke.

"My God, Sebastian Reinhardt really lucked out this time..."

"I heard it's the ancient Eisenburg family? Those are legendary vampire nobles..."

"He's made it now. With those connections, who would dare look down on him?"

I should have been used to such talk. In three hundred years of life, I'd heard too many similar comments. Humans were like that—always seeing only surface benefits, never thinking deeper.

But honestly, today I didn't care what they said at all.

Because Sebastian's gaze was too real.

"Marry me," three months ago, he stood in the manor's study, those amber eyes looking directly at me, "Become the lady of the Reinhardt family."

I was stunned at the time.

A human proposing to a vampire? What kind of melodramatic plot was this?

"Christina," he took a deep breath, as if making some momentous decision, "I love you."

My brain completely crashed in that moment.

"You said... what?"

"I said I love you," he repeated, his voice beginning to tremble, "From the first time you smiled at me, from when you intimidated those creditors for me, from every night you dined with me... I fucking fell in love with you."

Damn, he actually swore.

This usually refined, well-mannered noble man actually swore while confessing.

"Sebastian..."

"I know you don't believe it," he said with a bitter smile, his voice carrying a self-mocking tone, "A greedy human, how could he truly love a vampire? But Christina, every day I've spent with you these past months has made me more certain—you're not just my salvation, you're my... everything."

He reached out, fingertips gently caressing my cheek.

"Marry me," he said, "Not because of contracts, not because of duty, but because... give me a chance to prove my feelings for you are real."

I looked into his eyes.

There was pleading there, vulnerability, and a kind of tenderness that made my heart race.

Damn, where was my three hundred years of reason?

"Alright," I heard myself say, "I accept."

Sebastian's face broke into a smile, brilliant as spring sunshine breaking through clouds.

"Thank you, Christina," he said, his voice carrying a trembling relief, "I swear, I'll treat you well."

Then he kissed me.

Gentle, tender, with that warm human touch.

My heart went crazy in that moment.

Those memories kept flashing back during the wedding ceremony.

I remembered the night Edmund saved me. Silver and holy water had nearly killed me; I was so weak I couldn't even stand. He saved me, hid me in the cellar, brought me animal blood every day.

For three whole months until I recovered my strength.

I made a blood pact with him—to protect his family. Two weeks later, Edmund died.

Then I met Sebastian, with golden-brown hair and amber eyes, identical to Edmund in his youth.

So marrying him was one of his wishes; I had no reason to refuse, and my heart couldn't refuse either.

"The bride may kiss the groom." The priest's voice pulled me back from my memories.

Sebastian turned, cupped my face in both hands, and slowly leaned down.

This kiss was completely different from the one three months ago.

Deeper, more passionate, carrying some long-suppressed desire.

I closed my eyes, letting his tongue explore my mouth, feeling his warm breath, his racing heartbeat, his body trembling slightly with excitement.

Applause and cheers erupted around us.

But I couldn't hear anything.

My world contained only him.

After the ceremony, Sebastian took my hand and walked toward the bridal chamber.

I could feel his palm sweating.

Nervous?

"Christina," he suddenly stopped, turned to look at me, "If you... if you don't want to, we can..."

"Shut up," I interrupted him, standing on tiptoe to kiss his lips, "Don't talk nonsense."

Sebastian froze for a second, then suddenly smiled.

That smile held indulgence, helplessness, and some deep meaning I couldn't fathom.

"Alright," he said, "Whatever you say."

He swept me up in his arms, strode into the bridal chamber, and kicked the door shut with his foot.

I was placed on the bed, the deep red gown spreading across the pure white sheets like a blooming rose.

Sebastian knelt beside the bed, slowly untying the laces of my gown, his movements gentle as if handling some fragile treasure.

"You know," he said in a low voice with a husky quality, "I've wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you."

"Then how did you hold back so long?" I asked back, my voice becoming unsteady too.

"Because I wanted a proper title," he said, his kisses falling on my collarbone, "I wanted everyone to know you're my wife."

Damn.

How could this man's sweet words be so deadly?

The gown was removed, the crinoline falling to the floor with a soft collision.

Cold air struck, but was quickly dispelled by his warm body.

"Christina," his voice sounded in my ear, carrying suppressed desire, "Look at me."

I opened my eyes.

Amber eyes were close, reflecting candlelight, reflecting my face.

"I love you," he said, each word like a vow, "Whether you believe it or not, I'll spend my lifetime proving it."

Then he kissed my lips while his body slowly pressed down.

My arms encircled his neck, my nails unconsciously tightening, leaving shallow scratches on his back.

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"No," he said, his voice completely hoarse now, "You could use more force and it wouldn't matter."

Crazy.

We were both crazy.

His kisses fell on every inch of my skin, gentle and reverent, like worship.

My fangs involuntarily extended, leaving shallow marks on his shoulder, but I controlled myself, didn't actually bite down.

"Bite," he suddenly said, his voice carrying strange tenderness, "I know you want to."

"No," I said, "I don't want to hurt you."

Sebastian laughed, lifting his head to look at me. "Christina, if you bite me, I'd be happy. Because that would mean... I truly belong to you."

Damn.

My eyes suddenly felt hot.

Three hundred years.

For three hundred years, this was the first time someone spoke to me like this.

The first time someone made me feel I was worthy of... being loved.

"Sebastian..."

"Shh," he kissed my lips, "Don't cry. My bride shouldn't cry."

"I'm not crying," I protested, but my voice was already choked.

"Right, you're not crying," he said with a smile, his thumb gently wiping the corner of my eye, "I must be seeing things."

Then he kissed me again, deeper, more passionate. His tongue pried open my teeth, entwining with mine as if to swallow me whole. His palm was burning hot, sliding from my face to the nape of my neck, then down my spine, igniting every inch of skin like fire.

I trembled as I held him tight. He chuckled low, entering slowly but decisively, like a brand. The union of bodies, the fusion of souls. That night, I finally understood what "wholeness" meant.

"We have time," he bit my earlobe, his tone carrying a hint of command. "Don't move."

That usually gentle, considerate man had completely transformed.

He pinned my wrists above my head, his other hand moving down along my waist, applying pressure enough to make me tremble.

His kisses fell on my collarbone, teeth lightly biting the skin as if marking territory.

"Look at me," he commanded calmly, forehead pressed against mine, breath burning.

I opened my eyes, meeting those burning amber eyes filled with naked possessiveness and mad devotion.

His movements grew faster and faster, as if to completely shatter me, then reshape me according to his form. I bit my lip, trying not to make a sound, but he suddenly slowed down, leaning down to bite my lower lip.

"Let me hear your voice."

In that moment, I completely surrendered.

Pleasure came in waves, nearly drowning my last bit of reason.

Finally, he thrust hard, burying himself deep inside me, lowering his head to kiss me, swallowing all my broken whimpers.

After climax, he held me, his palm gently stroking my back like soothing a frightened kitten.

At that moment, I just wanted to stay in his arms until the end of the world.