Aliyah eyed the reticulated python curled up in cage in the corner of her room nervously; nervous because this was her first attempt at snake dancing, nervous because she'd heard the stories of how bad it could go, but most of all nervous because she could have sworn the massive constrictor was eyeing her back.  Its gaze sent shivers down her spine.

She'd been belly dancing for seven years now, and at the encouragement of a friend, had decided to one day try working a snake into her routine.  That day had come when she'd seen this particular python for sale.  The thing was practically being given away, and sure she would never see a deal like that again, Aliyah bought it without hesitation.  She still remained slightly apprehensive however.  The whole thing seemed just a little too good to be true.  Not to mention she was alone in the studio, but that was her own doing.  Though a professional belly dancer, Aliyah remained firmly self-conscious.  She didn't like anyone seeing her work until she was ready to show them.  She looked back over to the snake and the pile of coils before finally sighing.

"Not going to get anywhere by just sitting here, are we?" she asked it, standing up and walking over to the cage.  With a grunt, she hefted the massive snake up out of its cage.  It was longer than it had looked, and frighteningly thick.  After much struggling and maneuvering, she managed to drape the thing over her shoulders.  Its sinuous body drifted lazily around her; curling up against her legs, hugging her hips.  All in all though, it didn't seem very concerned or even interested, and she took that as a blessing.  Her steps a little unsteady under the weight on her shoulders, she made her way over to the CD player, flipping through the CDs until she found the one she wanted and popped it in, selecting the right song before returning to the center of the studio.  She turned to look into the mirror, at her petite figure surrounded by the powerful, writhing mass of coils, and took a deep breath.

"I love thisss sssong," the python suddenly hissed, sliding his head around in front of her, a wicked smile on his face.  Aliyah's eyes widened.  That was her first and probably last mistake.

"What?  You can...talk.....what..." she began to drawl, her speech slowing as she found herself suddenly enthralled by the swirling colors in the snake's eyes.  She blinked, slowly and deliberately, as if trying to clear her eyes of the dancing rings of color now reflected there.  It was as though the world was spinning, and those colors were the only stable thing left in it.  That was her last clear thought before her mind clouded over and the confused, frightened expression on her face relaxed.  Kaa chuckled, a sharp, staccato hiss, looking over his newest toy.

She certainly was a sight to behold.  She'd simply pulled her hair back into a bun for practice, but this must have been a dress rehearsal, as her olive skin was clothed in a beaded kiwi green bra and skirt.  "Well," Kaa said, admiring his prize.  "Don't jussst ssstand there, girlcub."  He titled his head, and she followed suit.  "Ssshow me what you can do."

Somehow, the music reached Aliyah through the haze of her mind, and she raised her arms.  They wove throw the air ahead of her, her hips and stomach moving as fluidly as the deadly serpent draped over her.  Even under Kaa's hypnosis, ever single movement was perfectly controlled, smooth and elegant.  Kaa smiled, his coils around the girl's hips rocking in time with her movements, dancing with her.  She mirrored every movement or his head, following his weaving eyes with her own, and as pair twisted their way around the empty rehearsal room, it quickly became unclear exactly who was leading who.

Her bare feet scraped against the woven mat as she pivoted slowly, unconsciously winding herself right into his coils.  Three thick bands of muscle wrapped her from waist to chest, but still she danced for her master, oblivious of the mortal danger she was in.  That is, right until the coils started to close.  She coughed as the air was pushed out of her lungs, blinking rapidly and drifting in and out of Kaa's trance.

"Awww," Kaa hissed teasingly, once again drifting around to stare into her eyes.  "Isss sssomeone fighting back?"  All Aliyah could manage in way of a response was a strangled gag, the coils corkscrewing tighter around her.  It didn't really matter to Kaa whether she broke free of his spell or not.  It wasn't like there was anything she could do now.  As it was, her hands shifted from their slow, elegant weave to grip the living corset around her.  Another powerful squeeze brought her to her knees, and the one after that sent her world spinning.

Aliyah tipped over slowly, landing on her back and into the cushion of coils.  She panted in quiet, hitched breaths, each exhale  drawing the coils in tighter around her.  She writhed slowly in Kaa's unbreakable grip, feet moving restlessly over woven mat.  Kaa's head slithered up to hers, his tongue darting out to taste the sweat on her cheeks, leaving behind a thin trailed of saliva.  Again, he let out a hissing chuckle, and slid up out of her field of vision.  Her eyelids fluttered as the coils cinched suddenly in rapid succession, forcing the last of the air from her lungs.  The last thing she felt before passing out was a wave of hot air against her face, and the strange sensation of the snake's mouth working it's way over her head.

Less than a few minutes later, there was no sign of the girl.  All that remained was her would-be dance partner, curled  comfortably up in one corner of the room, a large bulge in his stomach and a smug smile on his reptilian face.