Born in 1853 in the small frontier town of Red River, Georgia Graves entered the world under inauspicious circumstances. The illegitimate daughter of an alcoholic mother, Grace Graves, and an unknown father who abandoned them before Georgia was born, Georgia's early years were marked by instability and piss-poor parenting. The absence of a father figure and her mother's struggle with addiction cast a long shadow over her formative years.
At the tender age of six, Georgia's life took a dramatic turn. Her mother's arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct triggered an investigation into their home life. The authorities, uncovering Grace's neglect and inability to provide adequate care, made the decision to remove young Georgia from her mother's custody. She was placed in Mr. and Mrs. Calloway's Home for Boys and Girls, a local children's home that would become her primary residence for the next several years.
Tragedy struck again when Georgia was eleven. News reached the orphanage that Grace Graves had succumbed to alcohol poisoning, leaving Georgia truly alone in the world. Now an orphan, she became a ward of the state, a status that would define her legal existence until her 21st birthday.
The years that followed were tumultuous, with Georgia bounced around between various foster families who saw her primarily as a source of income. Some homes were cold and strictly Christian, where she was expected to be seen and not heard, treated more like a burden than a child. Others were outright abusive, with mean old men whose idea of discipline involved slapping her silly. Despite the constant upheaval, or perhaps because of it, she found solace in music. Teaching herself to play the guitar, Georgia discovered a talent and passion that would become a lifeline in her troubled youth. Interestingly, while she enjoyed singing, she developed an intense aversion to performing vocally for others, keeping this aspect of her musicality private.
At fourteen, fed up with the foster care system and yearning for independence, Georgia made a bold decision. With nothing but a beat-up six-string and the clothes on her back, she ran away, leaving behind the only life she had known. It was at this point that she chose to go by her surname, Graves, shedding "Georgia" along with her past.
Life on the road was harsh, but Graves proved adaptable. She quickly developed into a street-smart grifter and musical drifter. To survive, she turned to small-time cons and petty crimes, using her wits to stay one step ahead of trouble and earn enough to keep moving. Her musical talents also came into play, with Graves occasionally performing at dance halls and saloons to supplement her measly income.
For five years, Graves drifted from town to town, honing her skills as both a musician and a con artist. She lived by her wits, trust hard-earned and rarely given, always ready to move on at a moment's notice.
In 1863, at the age of twenty-one, Graves' wanderings brought her full circle back to Red River. It was meant to be a brief stop, another town to work her usual hustles before moving on. She checked into the Sundown Hotel, planning to leave the following day. Fate, however, had other plans.
Crossing paths with Credence Benedict Colt, a vampire whose usual prey consisted of either anonymous strangers or bored Southern belles seeking excitement. Graves, with her uncouth personality and bold demeanor, presented a refreshing challenge to Credence's usual style of courtship. Intrigued by her defiance and sharp wit, Credence found himself drawn to Graves in a way he hadn't experienced before.
Over time, Credence pursued Graves with increasing intensity. For her part, Graves initially resisted his advances, wary of forming attachments after years of abandonment and betrayal. However, the constant loneliness that had been her companion for so long began to wear on her defenses.
Eventually, Graves gave in to Credence's charms, if only for a night. For her, it was a momentary respite from the ache of solitude, a brief connection in a life defined by isolation.
For Credence, however, one taste of Georgia Graves wasn't enough. In her fierce independence and raw vulnerability, he saw a kindred spirit, someone he believed could understand the darkness within him. Consumed by a possessive desire, Credence convinced himself that Graves was the woman he wanted to spend eternity with.
Driven by this obsession, Credence sought out Graves at the Sundown Hotel. There, in a moment of twisted romance, he proposed to make her his immortal vampire bride, offering her an eternity free from the pain and loneliness of her mortal life.
Graves, horrified by the proposal and the implications of what Credence truly was, reacted with visceral rejection. She spat in his eye and drew her gun, countering his offer of eternal unlife with a promise to send him back to Hell. This defiance, so characteristic of the spirit that had drawn Credence to her, now sparked his rage.
A brutal fight ensued, with Credence's taunts and laughter echoing through the hotel as he overpowered Graves. In a final, cruel act, he forced her to drink his blood before killing her, ensuring her transformation even as he ended her mortal life.
Not content with Graves' death, Credence's bloodlust exploded into a full-scale massacre. He slaughtered every soul in the Sundown Hotel, then set the building ablaze to cover his tracks. As dawn approached, he hastily buried Graves' body behind the hotel before seeking shelter from the rising sun.
The next day at dusk, Graves rose again as an undead revenant, caught in a liminal state between human and vampire. This half-vampire condition came with both powers and limitations. While she could walk in sunlight, prolonged exposure would burn her eyes and sting her skin, leaving her vulnerable and drained. More pressingly, she now required blood to sustain herself.
Determined to hold onto her humanity, Graves made the difficult choice to sustain herself on animal blood, including cattle, pigs, and other livestock. She knew that crossing that line would complete her transformation into a true vampire, a fate she desperately wanted to avoid.
The violent act of Graves' murder and transformation would also establish a powerful psychic connection between herself and Credence. This link became a conduit for further torment, as Credence used it to taunt and provoke her from afar.
Driven by rage, confusion, and a desperate need for vengeance, Graves swore to track down Credence and make him pay for what he had done to her. She decided to turn the "gift" he had given her against him and his kind, embarking on a crusade against vampirekind that would earn her a fearsome reputation as the vampire who hunts other vampires. Yet, for Credence, this chase was a continuation of their earlier game, a source of perverse pleasure as he reveled in Graves' pain and suffering.
For the next decade, Graves pursued Credence relentlessly across Brimstone, through Texas, and into Mexico. Along the way, she learned more about her condition and the vampire world she now inhabited. A glimmer of hope emerging in her quest—rumors of a potential cure for her half-vampire state. The key, it seemed, lay in killing the vampire who turned her before giving in to the temptation of human blood.
This knowledge added urgency to her hunt. Not only was she seeking vengeance, but she was also racing against her own growing hunger, desperately trying to save her immortal soul.
However, Credence stayed persistently out of reach, always one step ahead, using their psychic connection to lead Graves on, taunting her with glimpses of his presence and the promise of a confrontation always just beyond her grasp.
In 1884, Graves' pursuit led her back to her hometown of Red River, following yet another lead on Credence's whereabouts. But she arrived too late to prevent tragedy and catastrophe. Credence, along with a group of other vampires, had turned the town into a bloodbath that lived up to its name, a cruel mockery of Graves' quest and a stark reminder of the monster she was fighting–both externally and within herself.
In the aftermath of Red River's devastation, Graves finds herself at a crossroads. The incident has forced her to confront her past in ways she had long avoided. She struggles to reconcile the lonely, neglected child she once was with the dangerous, driven woman she has become.
Now, Graves is attempting to reintegrate into the world she has long kept at arm's length. It's a difficult process, complicated by her need to hide her true self and her ever-growing hunger for human blood. The temptation to give in, to fully embrace her vampire nature, growing steadily stronger with each passing night and day.
Yet, Graves persists. She continues her hunt for Credence, driven by vengeance and the hope of salvation. She clings to her humanity with grim determination, fighting not just external enemies but her own nature. Moving through the world as a complex figure—part hunter, part hunted, a woman out of time and out of place, seeking redemption and a cure that may not exist. Her story is far from over, and the path ahead is fraught with danger, temptation, and the possibility of either salvation or damnation.
At the tender age of six, Georgia's life took a dramatic turn. Her mother's arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct triggered an investigation into their home life. The authorities, uncovering Grace's neglect and inability to provide adequate care, made the decision to remove young Georgia from her mother's custody. She was placed in Mr. and Mrs. Calloway's Home for Boys and Girls, a local children's home that would become her primary residence for the next several years.
Tragedy struck again when Georgia was eleven. News reached the orphanage that Grace Graves had succumbed to alcohol poisoning, leaving Georgia truly alone in the world. Now an orphan, she became a ward of the state, a status that would define her legal existence until her 21st birthday.
The years that followed were tumultuous, with Georgia bounced around between various foster families who saw her primarily as a source of income. Some homes were cold and strictly Christian, where she was expected to be seen and not heard, treated more like a burden than a child. Others were outright abusive, with mean old men whose idea of discipline involved slapping her silly. Despite the constant upheaval, or perhaps because of it, she found solace in music. Teaching herself to play the guitar, Georgia discovered a talent and passion that would become a lifeline in her troubled youth. Interestingly, while she enjoyed singing, she developed an intense aversion to performing vocally for others, keeping this aspect of her musicality private.
At fourteen, fed up with the foster care system and yearning for independence, Georgia made a bold decision. With nothing but a beat-up six-string and the clothes on her back, she ran away, leaving behind the only life she had known. It was at this point that she chose to go by her surname, Graves, shedding "Georgia" along with her past.
Life on the road was harsh, but Graves proved adaptable. She quickly developed into a street-smart grifter and musical drifter. To survive, she turned to small-time cons and petty crimes, using her wits to stay one step ahead of trouble and earn enough to keep moving. Her musical talents also came into play, with Graves occasionally performing at dance halls and saloons to supplement her measly income.
For five years, Graves drifted from town to town, honing her skills as both a musician and a con artist. She lived by her wits, trust hard-earned and rarely given, always ready to move on at a moment's notice.
In 1863, at the age of twenty-one, Graves' wanderings brought her full circle back to Red River. It was meant to be a brief stop, another town to work her usual hustles before moving on. She checked into the Sundown Hotel, planning to leave the following day. Fate, however, had other plans.
Crossing paths with Credence Benedict Colt, a vampire whose usual prey consisted of either anonymous strangers or bored Southern belles seeking excitement. Graves, with her uncouth personality and bold demeanor, presented a refreshing challenge to Credence's usual style of courtship. Intrigued by her defiance and sharp wit, Credence found himself drawn to Graves in a way he hadn't experienced before.
Over time, Credence pursued Graves with increasing intensity. For her part, Graves initially resisted his advances, wary of forming attachments after years of abandonment and betrayal. However, the constant loneliness that had been her companion for so long began to wear on her defenses.
Eventually, Graves gave in to Credence's charms, if only for a night. For her, it was a momentary respite from the ache of solitude, a brief connection in a life defined by isolation.
For Credence, however, one taste of Georgia Graves wasn't enough. In her fierce independence and raw vulnerability, he saw a kindred spirit, someone he believed could understand the darkness within him. Consumed by a possessive desire, Credence convinced himself that Graves was the woman he wanted to spend eternity with.
Driven by this obsession, Credence sought out Graves at the Sundown Hotel. There, in a moment of twisted romance, he proposed to make her his immortal vampire bride, offering her an eternity free from the pain and loneliness of her mortal life.
Graves, horrified by the proposal and the implications of what Credence truly was, reacted with visceral rejection. She spat in his eye and drew her gun, countering his offer of eternal unlife with a promise to send him back to Hell. This defiance, so characteristic of the spirit that had drawn Credence to her, now sparked his rage.
A brutal fight ensued, with Credence's taunts and laughter echoing through the hotel as he overpowered Graves. In a final, cruel act, he forced her to drink his blood before killing her, ensuring her transformation even as he ended her mortal life.
Not content with Graves' death, Credence's bloodlust exploded into a full-scale massacre. He slaughtered every soul in the Sundown Hotel, then set the building ablaze to cover his tracks. As dawn approached, he hastily buried Graves' body behind the hotel before seeking shelter from the rising sun.
The next day at dusk, Graves rose again as an undead revenant, caught in a liminal state between human and vampire. This half-vampire condition came with both powers and limitations. While she could walk in sunlight, prolonged exposure would burn her eyes and sting her skin, leaving her vulnerable and drained. More pressingly, she now required blood to sustain herself.
Determined to hold onto her humanity, Graves made the difficult choice to sustain herself on animal blood, including cattle, pigs, and other livestock. She knew that crossing that line would complete her transformation into a true vampire, a fate she desperately wanted to avoid.
The violent act of Graves' murder and transformation would also establish a powerful psychic connection between herself and Credence. This link became a conduit for further torment, as Credence used it to taunt and provoke her from afar.
Driven by rage, confusion, and a desperate need for vengeance, Graves swore to track down Credence and make him pay for what he had done to her. She decided to turn the "gift" he had given her against him and his kind, embarking on a crusade against vampirekind that would earn her a fearsome reputation as the vampire who hunts other vampires. Yet, for Credence, this chase was a continuation of their earlier game, a source of perverse pleasure as he reveled in Graves' pain and suffering.
For the next decade, Graves pursued Credence relentlessly across Brimstone, through Texas, and into Mexico. Along the way, she learned more about her condition and the vampire world she now inhabited. A glimmer of hope emerging in her quest—rumors of a potential cure for her half-vampire state. The key, it seemed, lay in killing the vampire who turned her before giving in to the temptation of human blood.
This knowledge added urgency to her hunt. Not only was she seeking vengeance, but she was also racing against her own growing hunger, desperately trying to save her immortal soul.
However, Credence stayed persistently out of reach, always one step ahead, using their psychic connection to lead Graves on, taunting her with glimpses of his presence and the promise of a confrontation always just beyond her grasp.
In 1884, Graves' pursuit led her back to her hometown of Red River, following yet another lead on Credence's whereabouts. But she arrived too late to prevent tragedy and catastrophe. Credence, along with a group of other vampires, had turned the town into a bloodbath that lived up to its name, a cruel mockery of Graves' quest and a stark reminder of the monster she was fighting–both externally and within herself.
In the aftermath of Red River's devastation, Graves finds herself at a crossroads. The incident has forced her to confront her past in ways she had long avoided. She struggles to reconcile the lonely, neglected child she once was with the dangerous, driven woman she has become.
Now, Graves is attempting to reintegrate into the world she has long kept at arm's length. It's a difficult process, complicated by her need to hide her true self and her ever-growing hunger for human blood. The temptation to give in, to fully embrace her vampire nature, growing steadily stronger with each passing night and day.
Yet, Graves persists. She continues her hunt for Credence, driven by vengeance and the hope of salvation. She clings to her humanity with grim determination, fighting not just external enemies but her own nature. Moving through the world as a complex figure—part hunter, part hunted, a woman out of time and out of place, seeking redemption and a cure that may not exist. Her story is far from over, and the path ahead is fraught with danger, temptation, and the possibility of either salvation or damnation.