A/N: It's my birthday! Happy birthday me!

Your wretched little lives

Have all been cursed

'Cause of all the witches working

I'm the worst

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Spooky Scary Skeletons

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The deep crimson and putrid yellow concoction bubbled angrily in the vat as one of the figures stirred it with a large iron staff - every once in a while making her way over to the motionless figure laying sprawled out on the filthy floor to clip a lock of hair or a claw free from its former owner. That pathetic fool had expired before they could extract his soul andso it had become necessary to experiment by adding other ingredients from his body. One arm had already been added to the pot as well an ear yet a little more was needed to complete the poultice that would give them life once more.

They would soak in the brew once it was completed. His life's essence would give them life once more...or it should. It would be their luck that all this had merely been a waste of time.

The sound of soft footsteps and the soft schick of the sliding door alerted the potion master to the presence of her sisters. They all had their gifts and together they were formidable.

Kano, the smallest amongst them, could reanimate the dead and sense a person's deepest desire to lead them into their trap.

Shika, the middle child in every way, was a master of illusion and trickery. Her illusions were as masterful and through as a moth demon's and just as deadly. She could choose who came and went. Trap many without anyone being the wiser.

Mirai, the oldest and tallest, was an expert at spells and potions. Most spells and potions required live sacrifice, of course. Since their rebirth, they had learned more modern and more reliable methods of sanguine extraction. This particular spell required blood. It had become clear over the years that human blood would only work for a few hours to a week depending on age. The younger they were the longer it lasted. However, their recent victims were drained dry to serve this end. The blood of thirteen humans combined with the flesh and blood of an enemy. Add a little this and that and you have everlasting flesh. No more hunting and hiding in the shadows. No more blood donation front schemes or theft from hospitals. No. They would be whole and then the world would pay.

The only thing that could possibly interfere was that miko of irksome longevity. None of his family even knew...

-BOOM-

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Something was wrong. Terribly terribly wrong. No one had seen Inuyasha and she knew in her heart of hearts he would not have left. Her nerves ran even more ragged when she began overhearing multiple people asking about who invited a large group of people into the party in the context of being glad they all left. She'd recruited her friends to help search for him and upon seeing Kagome's fear, they agreed. It wasn't until Kagome felt a spike of demonic aura from above that she panicked. Dashing up the rickety staircase, Kagome pulled on the door where the demonic aura was strongest and found it sealed firmly shut. Trusting her instincts she pressed her hands firmly against the door and summoned all the spiritual power she possessed - something she had never tried before but something she'd seen Kikyo do in the past - and zapped the door in a brilliant flash of pink. Ignoring the startled cries of the partygoers below - which she assumed was from her little display - she was just about to rush into the room when two silver blurs beat her to the punch.

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A single body lay in the center of the room. Her long brown hair lay haphazardly underneath her soaked by the pool of blood beneath the corpse. She wore a waitress's garb - her apron still securely around her waist...her white shirt stained around the gaping hole where her heart should be. Her open, unseeing, vacant brown eyes stared idly at the would be rescue party who had just charged into the room.

"What the fuck?!" a silver haired woman cursed under her breath before turning towards the young man next to her, "I told you we should've arrived earlier. You just had to stop for cigarettes didn't you?!"

The boy rolled his eyes and rounded on the stunned silent, very pale Kagome staring helplessly at the cadaver on the floor, "Do you sense his aura?"

Kagome whipped her gaze up to meet he boy's amber eyes and took a startled step back as her eyes traveled up to the small dog ears atop his head as she asked hoarsely, "Who are you?"

"Bitch we do not have..." the boy began angrily before the female put her hand on his shoulder and approached Kagome with her hands up in clear surrender.

"We're...uh, his nephew and niece," the slender woman began slowly, "Our father had tasked us with watching over him in this era."

"Your...wait, Sesshomaru...what?" Kagome spluttered - her mind still somewhere between overwhelming panic and bewilderment. Casting an anxious glance over her shoulder at the brother, the silver haired woman grimaced before turning back to the short circuiting miko, "We don't have time to fully explain. We need to find him. Can you focus and see if you can break the illusion? We can smell him. He's...he's here."

The hesitancy as the flash of grief and remorse in the woman's eyes was the metaphorical smack across the face Kagome needed to snap herself out of her shock. Closing her eyes, ignoring the startled scream of Eri behind her - Kagome focused her strength to try to seek out Inuyasha's aura. It wasn't present but three others were.

"I feel three auras," Kagome answered shakily - not entirely sure she wanted to report what she needed to- " but...but not his."

"We're going to leave the room. We need you to blast the crap out of this one," the girl instructed firmly before adding quickly when she saw Kagome's horror. Gently cupping her chin, the woman's amber eyes were filled with understanding, "You won't hurt him and you can do this. I know you don't know me yet but you must trust me. Please."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome waited a few seconds before trying yet another thing she'd never done before. Focusing all her energy in on herself, Kagome let out a heartwrenching scream as a pink energy burst from her body shattering the illusion and allowing her to see what had become of her hanyou.