Betty Mullins has always been strong-willed; she probably gets it from her mother. Not that anyone knows her mother personally. Betty was born under unusual circumstances. About 24 years ago, during Mardi Gras, a purple-haired girl showed up and made a beeline for Ryan Mullins. Nobody knew where she’d come from or who she was, but somehow nobody thought that was strange until much later.

Ryan and that girl disappeared after a little while—nobody quite knows where to—but the next day, Ryan was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone around him knew what happened. Six months later to the day that girl shows up on Ryan’s doorstep with a baby that looks about a year old. “Bored now,” she says. She hands him the baby girl then she’s gone, just like that.

Ryan juggled being a single parent while taking over his daddy’s business—Mullins Septic & Waste—until his girlfriend (who was pretty upset when that child got inserted into their relationship) came around and decided maybe having a baby girl in the picture wasn’t such a bad thing after all. They eventually married. Despite a somewhat rocky start, those two raised that girl right. Betty was a great kid growing up—smart, kind, strong-willed, and with a powerful sense of right and wrong. She was popular with the local kids, not just because of her personality but also because she was the fastest thing in the water.

Still is.

Ryan always wondered about Betty’s mother – what was she? When she was about seven years old the Runcie’s pointed him to Wizard Luna. He confirmed that she was a Nixie changeling. Looking back on it, Betty can hardly remember the quiet young man who was living with the wizard he was a nerd anyway – all he did was read a book.

Ryan got Betty all signed up with the swim team, and she was the star of that team. Won a scholarship and everything. A couple of the girls on the team were a little put out by that, convinced that she was on performance-enhancing drugs, but that was eventually dis-proven. After she turned 14, fast in the water just didn’t describe her anymore; it was like the water was where she was most at home. It was something incredible to see.

After winning the championship the next year, the wizard come by the house to congratulate her – he had kept in touch with her family and came to her meets as often as he could. When he came the young man was back with him, he was still a nerd – but dang he grew up mighty fine. Her dad thanked him for his service in the war, and called him David. She noticed him, but he seemed to be totally oblivious. She was 15 now and star of the swim team, how could he not notice her! David would leave again before she could get him to notice her.

Betty used her scholarship to go to LSU, and she followed her passion for doing the right thing right into a degree in Administration of Justice. Came back and became rising star a sheriff’s deputy. Last year, the sheriff’s department suffered a loss of one of their own. a deputy was mauled by something out by the old amusement park, and died. Because of her hard work and through a series of fortuitous transfers – Betty took over as the senior deputy of the Maritime Operations Search & Rescue division.

She loves New Orleans, loves being a deputy and loves the people here, but the water calls to her blood. It is said that when she is not working you can find her swimming in the lakes, canals and waterways around new Orleans.

She’s also a crack shot and she’s been that way for a while. When she was little and having a sleepover with friends, a python came in through the window. Betty was brave and strong-willed even back then, she picked up a letter opener and threw it at the snake, getting it right in the head. Killed it instantly. Something else she inherited from her mother.

Last year David came back into town and this time to stay. Betty made sure she introduced herself properly this time – as a deputy when, she pulled him over for speeding on his motorcycle. Since then she has helped David with the supernatural community on town and they have gotten close – he even gave her a promise ring telling her it would always lead him back to her and to never take it off. She thinks it won’t be long until its a wedding ring

She’s still the fastest thing in the water. She can stay under longer than anyone. Even so, she’s gotten into trouble out there in the swamp. A few weeks back she staggered into town and collapsed, dripping wet and barely breathing. She was banged up pretty good and she had some kind of creature in a conch shell attached to her. Took us a couple of days to nurse her back to health, and I think she still carries the weight of her injuries.

UPDATE:
With the recent death of Joseph Luna, David’s injuries at the hands of a troll, Gideon and Penelope’s engagement news, and a mimosa-fueled girls night with Greer – Betty has became aware of how fragile life is and her desire to spend her life with David is overriding her nixie inherited carefree attitude. She has begun to let David and those around them know she is ready to commit to marriage.

UPDATE:
David and Betty were recently married at David’s family home in Louisville, KY. They have since moved into the house that David inherited from Luna.