The house loomed over them as they approached the front door. Bram made an attempt not to bristle like a tabby cat as he came closer to the mansion, but the urge was strong. He jumped when Bijou took his arm.

"Don't worry," Bijou said as he leaned in. "Mama's not going to bite!"

"So you say, sir."

"Now don't start that," Bijou warned. He reached for the bell and pulled the rope.

Bram gave him a look and was rewarded with a pinch.

"I didn't exactly leave with my keys," Bijou reminded Bram, but he smiled and snuggled with him, closing his eyes. "You need a bath," he said. "You're so tense. A nice hot bath will loosen you up. And a good night's sleep somewhere safe."

"Yea…" Bram muttered and looked for The Madame.

A maid answered the door.

"Master Bijou! You're home!"

The maid was a pretty beta, with rich black hair done up in a bun and large blue eyes partially hidden behind round glasses. She was shorter than Bijou, slimmer too, but with fairer skin and a rosy complexion. Her uniform was crisp and clean.

"Yvone!" Bijou said with a wide smile. "Am I happy to see you! Where's Mama? I have someone to introduce her to!"

Yvone looked at Bram, and Bram saw her smash the fire poker into the back of his head, clearer than the sunrise. He smiled.

"Good morning, Miss," he said, as charming as he could be.

"You ran off with an Irishman?" Yvone asked.

"Hardly," Bijou snorted. "But I wish I had." He pushed his way inside, dragging Bram with him, not caring they were getting dirt on the floors and carpets from their walk in the country.

"Mama?!" Bijou called. "Mama?! Where are you?! Mama?!"

Bram watched Bijou walk towards the main stairs, but kept his sight on Yvone. She wandered toward the side door that led off somewhere. He peeked past the door. It was a sitting room with a fireplace.

They were running out of time. With wide strides, Bram moved toward Bijou and took him up the stairs.

"We're in danger," he whispered.

"What?" Bijou said.

No sooner had Bijou turned around did his eyes widen. Bram pushed him back and ducked to the side, just missing being hit with a fire poker.

Yvone had swung too hard, probably expecting to hit Bram by surprise with all her strength and knock him out. The extra effort led her to over balance since she had missed. Bram swiped her feet out from under her and she fell face first onto the floor. He started to put his foot on her arm to keep the fire poker down, but saw her stab his foot with a knife hidden in the folds of her skirt and jumped back, grabbing Bijou and dragging him away.

"Watch out!" Bram snarled as the knife emerged from the folds of the skirt.

"You. Ruined. EVERYTHING!"

"Is she talking to me?" Bijou asked, panicked, backing up. "Or is she talking to you?"

"It doesn't matter! Run!" Bram grabbed Bijou and rushed down the hall, looking for unlocked doors that swung out. When he found one, he threw it open and shoved Bijou behind it and inside the room. Bram partially shut the door, let Yvone come forward, then swung the door open at her. Yvone put her arms up to block the door, but it was heavy and Bram was stronger than she was. The door knocked her back, and Bram moved around her back and locked her arms above her head in the same way he had done to Damion. She dropped the knife and the fire poker out of pain.

"Fuck!" Yvone shouted. "Fucker. Let me go!" Yvone, even though she must have been in great pain, wriggled and stomped.

Bram saw each stomp and simply moved to avoid them.

"Bijou!" he called.

Bijou came around the door, breathing a little harder than normal, eyes wide.

"Grab her weapons," Bram said. "And go get Suzanne."

"I'm not leaving you with her!"

"No need for you to, Darling," a woman's voice said.