Carnal

Chapter Forty-Four - Don't Look Behind You

"Look who's awake," he said, his tone much lighter than the one he'd been using a few moments earlier.

I turned around, feigning surprise to see him as though I hadn't heard him come in.

"Yeah," I said sheepishly. "I guess I fell asleep after I showered."

Jacob took a few steps towards me.

"Well that's a good thing," he said. "Vampirism inhibits the release of melatonin in the brain. If you were sleepy at all, that means the cure worked."

I gulped and nodded.

The cure worked.

"Does it..." I trailed off.

"Yes?" He asked, encouraging my question.

"It's nothing," I said dismissively. "It's just, well..."

I trailed off again, unsure of how to ask the question I had in mind.

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Does your cure reverse any of the side effects of being turned?" I asked finally.

He looked confused by the question.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he confessed, sitting down on the end of the bed.

I looked down at the cream-colored cashmere sweater in my hands and sighed.

"After he turned me, Cain said that Vampirism would take away my ability to have kids. I guess I was just wondering..."

"Oh," he said, as if he hadn't considered the question himself. "I'm not sure to be completely honest with you."

I shrugged.

"I was just wondering," I said shrugging, acting as if his answer didn't mean anything to me.

It was quiet for a few moments before Jacob spoke again.

"I suppose there's a way to find out," he said.

My eyes widened and I fumbled with the sweater.

That wasn't where I wanted that to go.

"I'm going to go change," I mumbled.

I quickly threw the sweater over my arm, picked up the folded pants and turned to walk into the bathroom.

Seeing the look of confusion on Jacob's face as I passed him, I knew I wasn't getting out of it that easily.

"Ella," he said, stopping me.

I gulped and turned around.

"Yes?"

He stood up and turned to me.

"There isn't any pressure to do anything you don't want to," he said, surprising me. "I know how hard this has been for you. I've waited this long; I don't mind waiting until the time is right."

I'm sure that the shock I felt was written on my face. Unable to say anything, I simply nodded and turned back around to go into the bathroom.

Shutting the door behind me, I placed the clothes on the countertop and sat down on the toilet lid in thought.

Before I dwelt too long on Jacob's sympathy and understanding, I had to remind myself of what I had heard just minutes earlier outside my door.

The man who stood outside my room and the man that stood inside of it were not the same person. One of those versions of Jacob was genuine, but I didn't have time to figure out which one was a mask he wore and which one was the real him.