me·nag·er·ie

[muh-naj-uh-ree]

–noun

1. a collection of wild or unusual animals, especially for exhibition.

2. a place where they are kept or exhibited.

3. an unusual and varied group of people.

Arthur Kirkland was known in the Vampire world as being someone you didn't mess with. He wasn't one of the oldest Vampires- but he was brutal and vicious. He was known for his hot temper, and his habit of not following the orders given to him by the Seethe Mistress. It was because of his supposed insubordination, that Arthur had moved from his home in England, all the way to the United States- no simple move for one of the Undead.

There were rumours, in the Underground, that Arthur had been the pirate Captain Kirkland when he was mortal, and that the reason the Captain- who was known to some as the King Of The Sea, had disappeared was because Arthur had been chosen by his maker, and had fed on his own crew. Of course, Arthur had never confirmed or denied this rumour, though he was well aware of it.

While the name Arthur Kirkland was well known amongst Vampires, it was not one most humans would know. Oh, he was known to the human world as well, don't doubt it. He was simply known by a multitude of names.

Arthur made money off the books he wrote. He'd been writing them for centuries, under various names. A multitude of books, that ranged from fantasy to historical reference books. His many pseudo names were known by Fiction Fans and Historians alike- all wanting to know more about the author behind such great works of prose, and never learning more then the few facts given on the back of the covers.

With age comes many things, Arthur had found. He retained the hot-temper he'd had as a mortal, that he was known for by other vampires, but he had learned many things, and one of them was how to blend. The first step, Arthur learned, to not being found, was not to leave a string of corpses behind you.

It wasn't uncommon for Vampires to keep humans as a sort of pet. Usually, the relationship was rather one sided. The human, enthralled by the vampire, who simply used the mortal for food and protection during the day. To feed a vampire, and keep them well fed- without killing the humans, it could take around five humans. More, if one wanted to be truly safe, though any more than five was bound to draw attention.

There were advantages to being a vampire's feeder. Despite the fact that a feeder was drained of blood, they also received some of the vampire's blood in return. This gave them health, and senses that most could only dream of. If you were lucky, and became the feeder of certain vampires, it also guaranteed a roof over your head, and money for the things you needed.

Sadly, the disadvantages were rather disastrous.

Vampire's blood is an addictive thing, and one must be slowly weened off of it if they are to ever leave their Vampiric host. This is a rare thing, as those who know of Vampires, yet are not vampires or vampire-controlled, are often killed, rather then simply released. There is also the high chance of being turned yourself. For this reason, Vampire's who keep groups of humans with them, are sometimes shunned, or viewed with a certain form of distrust.

Arthur had six humans that lived in his home with him. Mostly they were a gangle of teenagers he'd picked up off the street. He allowed them to live in his house, and he paid for their food, schooling, and anything they might need. In return, they allowed him to feed on them when he needed too, and didn't bother him while he worked.

Though to other vampires, Arthur would be seen as treating his menagerie with a cold, and distant behaviour, the truth was very different.

The English vampire cared very much for his Menagerie. They were family to him, and he made sure they were well taken care of. They were young, but loyal, and they never failed him. They might fight amongst themselves every now and again, and a few of them would rebel once in a while, but they always came back, and settled back into the house they'd come to know as home.

They all had lives of their own, with Arthur the tie that held them together.

And these are their stories.