Haventon Born (The Haventon Chronicles Book One)

Haventon Born Chapter Thirteen

A couple of hours later as Michael was driving him home, it was David who noticed the flashing blue light behind them and looked around.

"There's a police car behind us."

Michael glanced in the mirror and nodded. "I see it," he said as he pulled over. "Luckily I didn't drink tonight since I knew that I would be driving."

The police car pulled up behind them and the officers walked up to the window. Michael rolled it down.

"Would you step out of the car please, sir?" the WPC said. "And we'll need to see your documents."

"Certainly, officer." Michael turned to Sarah. "Could you get the documents out the glove compartment, Sarah?" he asked. Then he rolled his eyes and muttered. "Why do I only ever get stopped when it's pouring with rain?"

"Sure." She handed them to the policewoman as Michael got out. To their credit neither officer commented on Michael's outfit though the WPC did smile a little as she checked the documents.

"Yes, these all appear to be in order." She handed them back to Sarah and began to check the tires while her male colleague produced a breathalyser.

"Blow into this, please, sir," he said.

Michael did as he was asked but held himself ready to make them ignore a positive result just in case the alcohol in the blood wine he had drunk was enough to trip the thing. It didn't and the light went green. The police did a few coordination tests to check that he was not under the influence of drugs and then went on their way. Michael climbed back into the Range Rover and looked around at David who was staring at him. "What's wrong?"

"You did something! I felt it."

"No, I didn't." Michael frowned. David really was sensitive to notice his preparations. "I was ready to if I had to but I didn't. That must be what you picked up."

"You're a vampire!" David's eyes were wide.

"Oddly enough I'm aware of that fact," he said.

"But you can't be!" David seemed utterly confused.

"Why on Earth not?" Michael asked and then remembered. "Oh, this is about the garlic?"

"How did you eat that?" he asked. "I mean is there anything they aren't wrong about?"

"The garlic for one," Michael said. "It's just not quite as powerful as you think. We can tolerate a moderate amount. Revenants avoid it like the plague, though, and if you eat a lot it'll make your blood unpalatable. And please do not ask me about garlic flowers." He shuddered. "Urgh!"

"There was a lot of garlic in that lasagne," David said slowly.

"I boosted it up with a spice called asafoetida," Sarah told him. "It's a decent garlic substitute."

"And smearing something with raw garlic is a good way to stop one of us from touching it, with bare skin anyway. The blisters it raises are painful and take a long time to heal," Michael added.

"And why are you telling me all this?" David frowned at him. "Wouldn't it have been wise to let me think it didn't work at all?"

"Wise? Quite possibly, but I decided that you should know." Michael shrugged. "Experience has taught me that if you want to win someone's trust, the truth is the best place to start. Do you want me to drop you at your place?"

David seemed to consider for a while but then nodded. "You already know where I live, so there's no point in me asking you not to. Anyway I would only get wet if I walked."