Sango: welcome back, I'll still be filling in for our authoress who is nowhere to be found.

Miroku: well, I've looked everywhere, she seems to have vanished –author enters, holding a sword-

Sango: where've you been? Isn't that…Tenseiga? How'd you get it?

A1969: nicked it from Sesshoumaru –looks around- anyway, don't own the show!
Sango: why did you take Tenseiga? And…I'm Sesshoumaru will be looking for it!
A1969: by which time I will be gone –leaves- tell him that you have no idea where I am!

Miroku and Sango: -sweat drop-

Chapter Twenty-three: Helen's Confession

XoXoXo

"Thanks for your help, Kagome," Kouga said as he took Kagome's hands again. The sun was setting and Kouga decided that it was time for them to leave. Inuyasha stormed over to them his face was a mask of comedic fury.

"Let go, ya wolf!" Inuyasha snapped, prying Kagome's hands from Kouga.

"Back off, mutt face!" Kouga snapped. "Anyway, bye, Kagome!"

Kagome nodded and waved as Kouga and the others ran off, wolves following close behind them. She returned to the others and sighed deeply. "What are we going to do?" the miko asked softly. "Helen stole Kouga's shards…there's only one left, not counting the one that Kohaku-kun has…" her voice trailed off.

Sango stared at her brother and wondered what they could do to save him; she sighed and held Kohaku's hand.

"Don't worry, Sango, we'll find a way," Miroku assured.

Inyasha glanced up at the sky and felt uneasy. He fidgeted and Kagome noticed this. "What's the matter?" the priestess asked.

"I was thinking," Inuyasha said softy, not looking at Kagome since he was about to take up a delicate topic. "Naraku somehow released part of Helen's demonic powers and made her evil…he sent her to Kouga to take his shards and kill him…so…" his voice trailed off.

"So…?"

Inuyasha turned his gaze to the stars. "Well…I'm worried about Kikyou…"

Miroku and the others had slightly surprised looks on their faces; at the peripheral of Inuyasha's vision, he could see Kagome's solemn and grave expression. "What if…Naraku sends Helen after her…?"

"Inuyasha, go to Kikyou," Kagome said softly, staring at the fire.

The hanyou's eyes slightly widened as he turned towards Kagome. "Kagome…"

"Go," Kagome said, trying to sound brave in order to hide the pain in her voice. "Kikyou needs you…I have no doubt that Naraku will try to dispatch her…I mean, he tried to have Helen kill Kouga, why not Kikyou? You should make sure that she's…safe…"

Inuyasha stood up and looked down at Kagome. "Forgive me," he whispered as he ran off. Sango looked at Kagome's eyes where unshed tears had welled up.

XoXoXo

"You wish me to kill the priestess known as Kikyou?" Helen asked Naraku.

Kanna turned to her and held out her mirror. Helen approached Kanna and knelt down so that she could see the image in the mirror. She found herself looking at a priestess who in turn was looking at the setting sun from over a cliff. Her hair blew softly in the breeze and soul collectors hovered around her.

"She resembles…Kagome…" Helen's voice trailed off.

"Yes," Naraku said softly. "Kagome is her reincarnation…Kikyou is the woman whom Onigumo loves…" His voice trailed off.

Helen narrowed her eyes at Naraku. "Who do you think that I would be able to kill her? You have given me Onigumo's heart-your heart, after all."

There was a manic glint in Naraku's eyes as he looked at Helen. "We shall see, won't we? Go…Eliminate Kikyou…then you can move on to Sesshoumaru."

Helen glared at him as she left the room.

XoXoXo

Kikyou watched the darkening sky before her. The sky was colored with gold and pink as the sun retired to the West. The priestess sighed as she stared at it. Where are you hiding Naraku? Kikyou thought as she stared at the sunset. I have already had my Soul Collectors search for you and yet your aura is as elusive as always…

A Soul Collector came to rest on her shoulders. Kikyou closed her eyes. A presence was nearby, drawing ever so close. No, the presence was here, hiding in the bushes…

"Come out before I make you," Kikyou said, without turning to look.

"So it is true," a voice said. Kikyou heard the soft thud of someone jumping from a tree. "Naraku said you were sharp…and so it seems that you indeed are, Lady Kikyou…"

At the mention of Naraku, Kikyou spun around and narrowed her eyes at the girl. There was something strange about her. Her aura a slightly Naraku-ish characteristic to it, but it was quite faint. "Who are you?" Kikyou asked the human. "And why is it that Naraku would send a mere human to dispatch me?"

The girl smirked. "Me? I am Helen."

Kikyou's eyes slightly widened. She had heard that name before; Miroku had mentioned it to her. "Helen…? Kagome's cousin? Why are you working for Naraku if you are indeed Kagome's kin?"

"I have my reasons," the girl said through gritted teeth. She drew out her sword and pointed it at Kikyou. Kikyou notched an arrow to her bow and pointed it at the girl. She reminded herself that mustn't kill the girl; she was probably deluded by Naraku.

Helen charged towards Kikyou who released her arrow. Helen jumped over the arrow and landed in front of Kikyou, pointing her sword at the undead priestess's throat. "I do not know why Naraku fears you," she said dangerously.

"Indeed," Kikyou said, narrowing her eyes at the girl as she felt the cold metal of the sword at her throat. "You do not know because you have never known me."

Kikyou suddenly grabbed her shoulders and sent a blast of holy power at her. Helen's eyes widened. Had she truly been human and didn't have Naraku's heart, she wouldn't have felt that much pain. Kikyou released her and Helen stumbled backward. "You…" Kikyou said. "You hold…Naraku's heart…?" When she had blasted the girl with her holy power, she sensed the unsual presence within her…which turned out to be Naraku's heart.

Helen stood up and looked at her, quite impressed. "Now I see why Naraku wishes that you remain dead," the girl snarled as she gripped her sword even tighter.

"Why is it that you are working for Naraku?" Kikyou asked again. "What will he give you in exchange for this service that you are rendering him?"

"None of your business!" Helen snarled. Instead of charging at Kikyou with the sword, she focused her will and gripped Kikyou with her power.

I cannot…move…? Kikyou thought as she tried to struggle. Helen walked towards her, a nasty smile on her face.

"Well, Naraku will have to thank me," she said as she brandished her sword and pointed it at Kikyou. "You're about to die!"

"Blades of Blood!" a voice shouted sending red blades towards Helen. The young woman jumped out of harm's way so that she landed away from Kikyou. She turned her gaze to the newcomer; Inuyasha joined the fray, holding Tessaiga in his grasp. Helen lost her concentration and Kikyou was able to move again.

"Kikyou, are you alright?" the inu hanyou asked, approaching Kikyou who only nodded. Satisfied, Inuyasha turned his attention to Helen. "Why did you allow Naraku to take you?" the hanyou asked.

"Enough with the questions!" Helen snarled as she pointed her sword at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," Kikyou said softly. "We must kill that girl."

"W-what?" the hanyou asked. He could not kill Helen even if Kikyou told him that they must. "Why?"

"That girl…holds Naraku's heart within her," Kikyou said softly. Inuyasha turned to look at Helen. She has Naraku's heart? Inuyasha thought. The bastard! He gave her his heart so that we couldn't kill him! He's taking a risk…but I can't kill Helen…

"What are you waiting for, Inuyasha?" she asked softly.

"Hiraikotsu!" Helen jumped into the air to avoid the boomerang that was headed towards them. Kagome and the others had arrived. Kagome's eyes darted to Inuyasha and Kikyou and returned to Helen.

"Helen," Kagome said. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Helen snarled dangerously. "I see you've all come to save Kikyou; I didn't know that you all wanted to protect her so badly."

"Step aside, Inuyasha!" Kikyou pushed Inuyasha aside and immediately fired an arrow towards Helen who waved her hand. The arrow changed its course and sped upward towards the sky.

"What are you doing, Kikyou?" Kagome asked. "Don't kill her!"

"Fool!" Kikyou turned towards her. "Not kill her? Is this and opportunity to kill Naraku! Can't you sense that that girl holds his heart?!"

"What?!" Miroku and the others said incredulously as they looked at Helen. "Naraku's heart…?"

How can we destroy Naraku's heart without killing her? Kagome thought.

Inuyasha held Tessaiga even tighter. He charged towards Helen. The young woman held out her hand and Inuyasha was thrown off his feet. In a flash, Helen was standing over him, sword pointed dangerously at his heart.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted.

"Speaking of hearts," Helen sneered. "Yours is about to be punctured."

Just as she was about to thrust the sword into Inuyasha's heart, a blast of energy spiraled dangerously towards Helen. The young woman held out both her hands in hopes of deflecting the attack, but it was too strong. The young woman was thrown off her feet and hit a tree.

Inuyasha stood up just as Sesshoumaru and Kagura entered the clearing. "Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled. But the daiyoukai's attention was fixed on Helen and not on Inuyasha or anyone else.

Helen staggered to her feet and glared at Sesshoumaru. "Heh, so it's you," she said. Everyone seemed to have faded away from her vision as she glared at the youkai before her.

You can kill him now, if you so wish. The swords seemed brushed against her mind.

Sesshoumaru's sword-she noticed that he was using Tokijin instead of Ryuko-was pointed dangerously at her. She knew she was not powerful enough to overcome him. "You are a fool, Helen," he said softly.

Helen glared at him. She took a step towards him and their eyes locked together. "Fool?" she asked softly. She approached him and he lowered his sword but kept his gaze on her, eyes narrowed dangerously. She looked up at him. "Am I the fool?" she asked. She placed a hand on the side of his cheek. He looked down at her, he wanted to shrug her off, but a part of him enjoyed her touch…

"You are the fool…you let me go…" Everyone's eyes widened as Helen brought her lips to his and kissed him. Sesshoumaru' tensed. He wanted to push her away, wanted to fight her but then he didn't want to. Helen felt him tense but then, she felt him relax.

Sesshoumaru suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his stomach. He pulled away from her just as Helen pulled out the bloody sword with which she stabbed. "Men," she hissed.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagura said.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he saw the blood fall from his brother's wound. Without a second thought, he rushed in and charged towards Helen. He was met with a barrier. Naraku was suddenly standing beside Helen. He had created a barrier around him, Helen and Sesshoumaru to stop the others from intervening.

"Naraku!" Everyone shouted except for those that the hanyou had trapped in the barrier.

Sesshoumaru gripped his sword even tighter. He tried to keep his face blank as the pain from the wound hit him. Naraku was chuckling. "Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku said softly and Inuyasha and the others heard him. "I cannot believe that you let that distract you…" the hanyou gave him a nasty smirk.

The daiyoukai pointed Tokijin dangerously at Naraku, eyes narrowed in a deadly way. "Helen," Naraku said, turning his attention to the young woman. "Do as you wish…"

Inuyasha and the others, meanwhile, were trying to break the barrier that Naraku had created. "Dammit," the hanyou said as he launched the third Wind Scar that had failed. "Why didn't I detect Naraku's scent earlier?"

"Remember what Kaede said?" Kagome asked. "About Naraku getting rid of his scent and aura?"

Kikyou narrowed her eyes and frowned. So that was why she couldn't sense Naraku coming either. She watched as Inuyasha attempted to break down the barrier but to no avail. "Inuyasha, stand back!" she ordered as she notched an arrow to her bow. Inuyasha stepped aside as Kikyou fired the arrow but that too failed.

"Dance of the Dragon!" Kagura shouted as if sending her tornadoes would destroy Naraku's barrier.

"Nothing's working," Miroku muttered.

Sesshoumaru charged towards Naraku but an unknown force swept him off his feet and flung him against the wall of the barrier. "Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku said. "Your opponent tonight shall be her."

"So be it," Sesshoumaru said, glaring at Helen and remembering, for an instant, the kiss she gave him.

He pointed his sword at her, which jerked violently in his grasp. A second later, Tokijin sped from his grasp and into Helen's. "This is the sword she gave you, isn't it?" Helen asked with disdain, eyeing Kagura who stood just beyond the barrier. There was bitterness and anger in her voice.

What are you waiting for? That voice again, that voice in Helen's head. Kill him…isn't that what you want?

-What I want…?

From the very beginning, you wanted to kill him…now is your chance…

Helen narrowed her eyes at Sesshoumaru. He stared coldly at her. Odd, he seemed hesitant to attack her. He took a step towards her.

Kill him!

Helen focused her will and blasted Sesshoumaru off his feet. The daiyoukai was caught unaware and was pinned to the wall of Naraku's barrier. He struggled against an unknown force, trying to free himself. Outside, Inuyasha and the others were trying in vain to break the barrier. It seemed that with the addition of Kouga's shards, Naraku had gotten even stronger.

Sesshoumaru watched as Helen approached him, brandishing Tokijin. He could free himself by transforming or sending a blast of his own youki at Helen but transforming within a barrier and blasting Helen with his youki was apt to kill her.

Helen raised Tokijin and was about to kill him, when their eyes locked. The sword stopped in midair.

What are you doing? Kill him!

"Why?" Helen asked aloud. Everyone looked at her and wondered to whom she was speaking. Sesshoumaru's eyes slid to Naraku and he immediately understood.

"You bastard," Sesshoumaru said softly. "You're manipulating her, toying with her emotions…"

Kagome glanced at Helen; she could easily relate what it was like to have Naraku toy with your emotions. "Inuyasha…did you hear…?" Kagome asked.

"Naraku you worm!" Inuyasha snarled. "You're toying with people's emotions again! Like you did Kagome! You're despicable!"

Naraku glanced sideways at him and smirked. "Yes," he said smoothly. "This girl's were no different…especially if those emotions…involve…" his smirk widened.

"I'll kill you!" Inuyasha bellowed.

Naraku returned his attention to Helen, who was still hesitating, eyes locked with those of Sesshoumaru's.

Why do you hesitate now, Helen? Didn't you want to kill him for making you suffer?

-Yes…he did make me suffer…

He loved Kagura and spurned you…I know that he knew that you loved him and yet…Hate them both! When you kill Sesshoumaru, you can move on to Kagura and thus have your revenge.

-My…revenge…?

Yes, surely you would want to avenge yourself? Unrequited love can only bring you pain and so you must destroy the source…

Sesshoumaru's eyes were still locked on hers. It was as if he wanted to tell her something.

-Why do I have to go to such extremes? Do I even…hate him as much as you claim I do?

You silly girl, kill him now. Now is your chance!

Naraku gritted his teeth as Helen closed her eyes. My chance…?

Naraku's eyes widened as Helen quickly spun around and threw Tokijin at Naraku. He raised a tentacle which deflected the sword. "You foolish girl!" Naraku hissed.

Helen released her hold on Sesshoumaru who fell on his feet behind her. But Helen's attention was on Naraku who said, "You had your chance and you wasted it."

"Chance?" Helen asked softly. "Naraku…you wanted me to kill Sesshoumaru and then…kill Kagura…you said it was so…"-Helen shook her head-"you said that I should hate Sesshoumaru…and yet, Naraku, I don't see a reason why I should! Yes…I know that Sesshoumaru is in love with Kagura…I know now why I was so angry! I knew I was jealous of them…I didn't know why! I realized that during all this time I was with you…my hatred for Sesshoumaru and Kagura…was only jealousy! It's natural to feel this way because I realized why I was so jealous…"

Helen closed her eyes, then opened them and glared at Naraku. "I realized that…that…I realized that I'm in love with Sesshoumaru!"

The inu daiyoukai's eyes widened as he heard the words. He wasn't the only who was shocked. Inuyasha and Kagome had disbelieving looks on their faces, Miroku and Sango's eyebrows shut up in surprise and Kagura let out a gasp.

"So be it," Naraku said. He held out his hand. There was a blinding flash of light that made everyone turn away. When the light had vanished, Helen was lying unconscious on the ground and in Naraku's hand lay his beating heart.

"Helen!" Kagome shouted.

"Foolish girl," Naraku said softly. "There is no other use for you except but to absorb you…"

His tentacles shot out but Sesshoumaru was quick. He pulled out Ryuko, charged towards Naraku and slashed at his tentacles. Naraku jumped back. "Kukuku, Sesshoumaru-sama…you want to protect the girl? Isn't that amusing?"

"Dragon Strike!" Sesshoumaru shouted, sending his attack at Naraku. It was foolish. Naraku created another barrier to protect himself. Sesshoumaru's eyes slightly widened as his attack was absorbed by Naraku's barrier. He knew what Naraku was going to do next.

He rushed back towards Helen, lifted her in one arm, slashed at Naraku's barrier with Ryuko and made it just as Naraku sent Sesshoumaru's attack back at the youkai lord.

"He can destroy Naraku's barrier…" Kikyou said softly.

"Helen!" Kagome shouted as she ran towards Sesshoumaru and her unconscious cousin.

Inuyasha turned his attention to Naraku. "I'm going to kill you for what you did to Helen!"

"Another day, Inuyasha," Naraku said, vanishing in a cloud of miasma.

Inuyasha could be heard cursing. Kikyou looked at the spot where Naraku had vanished. He fled…Kikyou thought. Could it be that he fears Sesshoumaru's sword?

Kikyou turned and left and Inuyasha didn't bother to stop her. Kagome was now at Helen's side; she was knocked out but she would live. The young priestess looked at Sesshoumaru; he was watching the stars, buried in his thoughts. Kagome let him be. She didn't know that Kagura was watching them from the shadows.

XoXoXo

Sango: I guess this chapter's through.

Miroku: don't look now, Sango but we have company.

Sesshoumaru: where is she?

Sango: we know a lot of shes

Sesshoumaru: that deranged authoress who stole Tenseiga. Her scent is here so don't lie to me.

Sango: ehh…