THE HEAT WAS KILLING ME. My tongue felt like leather, my throat was parched. Sweat made my shirt cling to my back. I felt the sun burning on my balding head, cooking my brains. If I didn't find some shade and something to drink soon I would die.

An hour ago my car broke down in the desert of Arizona. I had nothing left to drink. I had no phone. There was no other car in sight and vultures started to circle around my Dodge. It seemed like civilization had yet to reach this part of America. In the distance, at the horizon I could see a house though. From that distance I couldn't be sure of how big the house was and how far I would have to walk to reach it. I figured I didn't have a choice but to find out.

How could it be so bloody hot? My legs gave away under me and I fell in the soft sand. Straining myself I got up again. I was so close to the house, to the cool shade, to cool water… I couldn't give up now. It was so desolate it seemed like I was in another dimension or something.

With the last ounce of strength I could muster I managed to reach the house. The house was as small as a big shed. It was entirely made up of wood and the windows were so dirty I couldn't see through it. I knocked on the heavy wooden door. After a minute the door slowly opened. What waited for me behind it was simply stunning.

She had long dark hair, a Greek nose and sparkling green eyes. Her lips were thin and red. Her neck was long and pale, her arms and hands elegant. She was wearing a black summerdress covered with little white dots. At first sight she looked like an average Texas beauty, but there was something exotic about her too.

"Yes?" she said with a melodic voice.

"I need water," I panted. "Please, offer me some shade and some water."

"Of course," she said. "Poor man, come in. I will help you."

***

The house was very sparsely furnished. A wooden table, matching chairs, a bed and something that had to pass for a kitchen. I couldn't fathom how this woman could live here, all alone. She seemed to have a preference for Greek art: there were statues, paintings and tapestries all inspired by Greek legends.

"Thanks for letting me in. I mean, some women would be afraid to let a stranger into their homes," I told her.

"It's all right," she said. "I am not the kind of person to send away a man in need."

"Good for me."

"Sit down, I will get you something to eat and something to drink."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

I watched her prepare some food for me. I watched her pour in some water in a large cup. The cup seemed very outdated. I enjoyed seeing her move. Her motions seemed so fluid, so sensual. Like she was dancing for me. Shit, I'd been without a woman too long again.

"Here you go," she said as she put my food and water on the table. I thanked her and drank from the cup greedily.

"You really needed that, didn't you?" she said, a smile spreading on her lips.

"You bet! I thought I was gonna die."

"Yes, the desert can be a dangerous place."

"You're an art lover, aren't you?" I asked her, glancing at a small statue of some Greek goddess. I didn't know enough of Greek mythology to know which one it was. I was more into Urban Legends than the Greek ones. Come to think of it, my beautiful host could have been a Greek goddess herself.

"Art lover? Ah, you are talking about my ornaments. Yes, I like them. They give me a sense of home."

"You're from Greece then? Then you must be used to this heat."

She smiled. "Yes, yes I am. I like it."

Strange, it occurred to me there wasn't a drop of sweat on her brow, while I was wet as a schoolboy's dream. "It sure as hell doesn't seem to bother you any," I remarked.

"No, it does not."

"You got a Greek name too, lady?" I asked, wolfing down the bread she'd given me.

"My name is Ophidia."

"Harvey Banks, it's a pleasure. How did you wind up in the states anyway?"

"I was… too well known in my own country. That is why I traveled to your country."

"You famous in Greece then? A soap star or something?"

"No, nothing like that. Nothing like that at all." Then she leaned closer to me. "But enough of me," she whispered. "Tell me more about yourself. What brings you to this desolate place?"

"Aliens. And not the illegal type. There've been some reports of UFO's and cattle mutilations. That's why I've driven to this godforsaken desert. To ask some questions, maybe take some pictures and write a couple of words about it."

"Ah, you are a storyteller!" she exclaimed, excitedly.

"Storyteller?" I had to laugh. "No, girl. I'm just a hack. I write for a tabloid. Maybe you've heard of the fucking rag. It's called the Inquirer."

"No, I have not. It is a shame you are not a storyteller, though. I really, really like storytellers. They were the ones that made me famous."

I grinned. "All right, if you put it that way. Sure, I'm a storyteller."

"Good…." She breathed. Then I felt something brushing my leg. "You are a very interesting man, Mr. Banks," Ophidia said.

I felt that same something move higher, to my thighs and then my groin. It was soft and cold. I smiled a dirty smile. "Are you playing footsie with me, Ophidia?" I asked her.

"Something like that," she answered, and smiled as well. It was a very wicked, very sexy smile.

I glanced down in my lap and saw what was brushing against me. It wasn't a foot. No, it was green. It was long and scaly. It was a snake's tail!

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed and got the hell out of my chair. The tail wrapped itself around me. First around my legs, then around my middle and around my neck. Then I saw where the tail came from. It was connected to Ophidia's body. Her long, luscious legs had been replaced by a slithering snake's tail. Now she was part snake, part woman.

Her body came closer to me, slowly, swaying. She arched her neck towards mine. Her eyes turned yellow, her pupils becoming oval-shaped. Like a serpent's! Out of her mouth a forked tongue flicked. She opened her mouth and I could see two large fangs. She sunk the fangs in my neck. I couldn't move, restrained by her long tail After she'd bitten me I could feel her poison run through my veins. The last thing I saw before I blacked out were her yellow eyes, close to mine.

***

When I woke up I first thought I'd been out drinking the night before. I thought the light feeling in my head was the booze. But this was no ordinary hangover. I'd just been poisoned by a human snake.

Slowly, I regained my senses. I felt sick. I'd been crucified, I discovered. I had been bound, arms and legs spread out, against the wall. Ropes around my ankles and wrists had been tied to large nails, set in the wall. Then I saw I was completely naked. So was Ophidia.

She was standing in front of me. A thing of beauty and of ugliness at the same time. Her pale naked body reflected the light of the candles that illuminated the dusty cabin. Her ribs were showing through her skin, the muscles of her stomach looked strong and sexy. But connected to that perfect body was a disgusting sight. A snake's tail instead of legs. Green, slithering and scaly. I had some trouble focusing though. It was like I'd been smoking pot. Everything looked out of place, psychadelic, like a fever dream. Sometimes I saw colors that shouldn't be in the room. Her skin sometimes looked purple, pink green, blue, yellow. The room seemed to become bigger and smaller randomly. It seemed to move, up and down, down and up, up and down. Fucking poison.

Ophidia gave me a horny smile, provoking me. "Good morning, Mr. Banks."

My words slurred. "Christ… If you wanted to get naked with me…you could have just asked. I-I'd been more than happy…to oblige."

She slithered towards me. "You have got quite a sense of humor. Unfortunately that is not what I look for in a breeder."

"Breeder? What…what the fuck do you…mean by that?"

Standing next to me, she ran the back of her hand across my cheek. It was soft, warm and enjoyable. "I want you, Mr. Banks."

"Wha-what?"

She ran her hands from my cheek to my neck, to my chest, with her palms instead of the back of her hands now. She scratched her sharp nails across my body, leaving a bloody trail. I winced. Good, the feeling was returning to my body.

"I like your scars. They show your toughness, your durability. That will be important if you are to father my offspring." Her face was very close to mine, her lips close to my ear.

"Sorry, baby. I only practice safe sex, no tykes for me, thanks." Talking started to get easier.

"I am so very sure that for me you will make an exception to your rule." Her breath felt warm in my ear. "Enough foreplay. Time to do the deed." She started to rub her body against mine. Her chest was warm, soft and enjoyable against mine. But her scaly pelvis against mine was cold, slimy and disgusting. Never had I felt such contrasting feelings screwing a beautiful woman.

"Yes, mortal! I need to feel your scars against my body. You will give me such tough little children," she panted. I lacked the strength to resist her. I was being fucking raped.

As she started to rub her body against mine with more tempo she dug her nails deeper in my skin as well. Her lips came closer and closer to my neck. Then, when she seemed to come, her teeth penetrated my shoulder. Poison entered my body once again and slowly I started to pass out again.

***

When I regained my consciousness again I noticed bloody trails all over my body, reminders of her sharp nails. "Shit… Ram, bam, thank you, ma'am…" I uttered.

Her smiling, demonic face was in front of me again. She seemed to block my view of my surroundings on purpose.

"You did very good, my little breeder. Look what you fathered for me." Then she slithered a little to the left, no longer obscuring my view. What I saw made me puke. Behind her were three eggs the size of footballs. I'd just fertilized this monstrosity's eggs!

She lifted one of the eggs and showed it to me. "Look," she said. "This fragile little shell holds the result of the unholy union of our bodies."

I noticed my legs had come free during our fiery intercourse.

"Is it not beautiful, love slave?"

I saw only one chance to escape.

"Aren't you curious how our children will look? I'm sure they will have their mother's eyes, though."

Had to wait until I was strong enough. Poison had to work out first.

"How will I call them?"

"How about Eggs Benedict?" I asked and took my chance. My legs came up, fast. I caught the egg she was holding up between them.

"No, careful!" she shouted. "You will break it!"

"That's the idea, toots. Untie me or I will." My eyes made it clear I meant every word I said.

"Okay, okay. Just do not break it. Keep it between your legs. Do not let it fall down. I am going to untie you arms now."

It felt good to move my arms again. I took the egg from my legs in my hands. "Back away now," I ordered Ophidia. She behaved like a good little puppy. "I'm going to walk out of that door now. And you're going to let me, or else I'll smash this little Easter egg."

I feinted for the door, but suddenly ran towards the two eggs that were still on the floor. I kicked them like I was playing soccer with them. The eggs exploded against the wall and Ophidia went mad with rage.

She screamed so hard my ears almost bled. "You son of a bitch! You killed our children!" Her eyes seemed more yellow than before. Her face was twisted. Her fangs seemed longer as she slithered in my direction, moving incredibly fast. If she would get a hold of me I'd be dead.

I put the egg between us, like a shield. She stopped dead in her tracks, hissing. "You'll have to go through the egg to get to me, lady. I don't think you want to hurt me that badly. I'll head for the road and leave the egg there. Come after me and it's roadkill."

"I will find you, Banks. I will find you and swallow you whole.." She meant it.

I walked out the door, my eyes never leaving hers. I kept walking backwards for a few minutes, then turned around and ran like hell, the egg under my arm like I was a quarterback carrying a football, ready to score. When I glanced over my shoulder I could see she was following me already. In front of me, I could see a motorcycle coming from the distance. That could be my ride to salvation! I gritted my teeth and raised my tempo.

***

The biker looked like a tough mother. He was all leather, all tattoo and all attitude. The epitome of a Hell's Angel. And there I was, running naked towards him with an oversized egg under my arm. Shit, he was going to kick the crap out of me.

"Stop! Please stop!" I shouted, like a madman. I was in luck. He squeezed his breaks and stopped right in front of me. He gave me an incredulous look. Then he started to laugh. Laugh hard.

"Jesus Christ, man! Who are you supposed to be? The Easter fairy?" He wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Listen, I just need you to drive me out of here. I'll reward you big time, just get me out of here before she catches up with me!"

"She?"

"Just look behind me."

"Shit, what the hell is that!" For an instant I was afraid his eyeballs were going to fall out of his sockets.

"Don't ask, just drive!" I jumped on the back of the bike. As I sat down I heard the egg crack. Shit.

Two small yellow eyes in a scaly green face glanced at me from the broken eggshell. My demonic offspring opened its mouth and hissed, a forked tongue flicking out from between its small fangs. Disgusted, I twisted its little neck without thinking, throwing it as far away from me as I could.

"Drive, motherfucker! Drive, dammit!" I yelled in the biker's ears. He did.

As we hit the road, driving at top speed I dared to glance over my shoulder again. I saw Ophidia in the distance, kneeling before her aborted offspring. I couldn't tell for sure from that distance, but I could've sworn she was crying. No one said motherhood was easy.

For all of you who travel the highways of America, let this be a warning. If you find yourselves sitting with a beautiful woman and you feel something brushing against your leg, don't look, just run. Because she is still out there. She, and god knows how many of her offspring that did survive their encounters with their daddies. Watch out, because she will shed her beautiful skin and swallow you whole.