When Michael saw the girl sitting quietly in the corner, he knew he was going to make love to her. He never knew quite how he could be so sure, but he was always right.

Don't get the wrong idea. He wasn't a prolific fucker, a bedsmith of great renown or an unreasonably endowed extrovert. No, his conquests were of a more pedestrian nature, in both number and style. He was an observant and attentive lover, a stroker of the ego as much as the genital. A student of the art perhaps.

He had been in his share of long term relationships, some shorter arrangements that didn't quite work out, and an ashamedly drunken fumbling session with an equally drunken partner, not at all certain the next day whether they had managed to fornicate or not. Add the experimental three way failure (blame could squarely be laid on the other man's ego, according to Michael), and you only have the teenage loss of virginity with a battleweary whore to finish the list. The ongoing calendar of solo efforts was exempt, of course.

He looked fairly normal as well. Average height, weight and attractiveness. Something in his eyes though. An undeniable sparkle behind the pupils. A depth beyond measurement. A secret of which even he wasn't aware.

Anyway, back to the girl. Thin, shortish, sprawled on the sofa. Long black hair covered her shoulders, her white tee shirt accentuating her small pert breasts. A black skirt covered her almost to the knees, long black boots from just below. From that description you could think she was a tramp, but you haven't seen her smile. She was just comfortable with her looks, with the company, with the world. The smile was magical, and seemed to be aimed directly at Michael. As it was. Oh, and she had the sparkle too. And the secret. No, she didn't know either.

"Excuse me, could I get you a drink?" Not a line exactly. He just wanted a chance to hear her voice.

"Oh, okay, that would be great. I'm far too comfortable here to get one myself. Name's Donna, by the way." Sexy. Relaxed. Hell of a voice, in fact. Did I say sexy?

"Hi Donna. What is that? Beer? I'm Michael. Mike. Call me Mike."

"Hiya Mike. Listen, how 'bout you get the beer, and then sit here with me. I'm trying to keep a stalker at bay, and you would fit nicely on the couch."

"Actually, I'm the stalker, but as you invited me, I'll be right back."

"Okay. You seem friendly, for a stalker."

"It's a professional disguise. Hold on." And he swung around a couple of entwined drunks pretending to dance, grabbed a couple of beers from the bar, and returned to where Donna was sitting. She had unsprawled herself a little, and left enough room for Michael to sit down.

Handing her one of the beers, Mike got another dose of the smile, and returned one of his own.

"You know, I got the strangest feeling when I saw you on the sofa here, Donna."

"You did? What sort of feeling?"

"It was as though I'd already met you, but I'm fairly sure I haven't." That could have been a line, but it wasn't.

"Actually, I felt much the same. Are you sure we haven't?"

Launching into a swapfest of jobs, homes, clubs and sports, they established that it was unlikely that they had met, but also that they had an impressive number of peripherally similar interests, and also managed to slip in the stuff about how they were both currently single. Neither knew how relieved the other was to hear that.

"Mike, how about we go somewhere else so we can talk properly. This sofa is comfortable, but the smoke is getting to me. I'm not really much of a party girl, I'm afraid."

"Fine with me. I know where we can find an all-night cafe, and I can still drive."

"Oh, coffee. Now that sounds good. Lead the way."

"You need to pick anything up from here first?"

"Nope. I'll just say goodbye to the hostess, and see you out front?"

"Yeah, okay. Don't dawdle. That stalker might catch up with you, and I'd have to go for coffee alone."

"Promise. See you in a minute or two."

Michael wandered out into the warm night, wondering where this was leading. He certainly hadn't expected to be taking anyone away from the party, even if just to the cafe. Waiting peacefully on the deck, he replayed the conversation with Donna in his mind. This was going well. Very well. And the sparkle behind his eyes would have been very apparent if anyone had been looking.

"Okay, Mike. Hannah confirmed your stalker status, and tells me you're mostly harmless, but not to let you have too many coffees. Let's go."

"Harmless? How dare she. We'll have to have words."

"Yeah alright, but not now. Let's get out of here."

"Your wish, and all that. It's that red Toyota there."

"Cool. I always wanted a red car."

"Why's that?"

"I have no idea. It just seems decadent somehow. Maybe I'll just have to keep you instead..."

"Bold words from someone who isn't aware of all my vices."

"I like vices. So much more fun than virtues. You want to confess now, or get the coffee?"

"Coffee first. Guilt is good for the tastebuds."

And they drove to the cafe, chatting about nothing all the while, picking up pieces of truth from each other the way people do when they first meet. By the time they arrived, that initial wall of caution had all but crumbled.

There were only another half dozen customers in the cafe, quietly sipping good coffee, some of them munching late snacks. The chatter of friendly voices hummed without overpowering the classy jazz on the stereo, and Mike and Donna relaxed and destroyed a couple of hours inconsequentially. Eventually though, the talk turned serious. Well, sort of.

"Look Mike, I'm an impulsive wench, as you probably realise by now. You seem like a really nice guy. I've had your harmlessness verified by a mutual friend, I like your voice, your car, and your eyes. Stalker or no, you make me comfortable. I've got a proposition for you."

"I'm not harmless, honest, but tell me more."

"I'd like to take you home with me. I live by myself, apart from my cats, and I'm not in the mood to sleep alone. But you have to promise me something first."

"What's that?"

"Well, if this doesn't work out, can we still be friends? I don't want to lose you just because you don't like the way I fuck."

"Oh. I thought you were going to suggest I come around and sleep on the couch. I promise, so long as you do too. I'm not such a catch, you know."

"We'll see about that. Listen, now that both of our expectations have been sufficiently lowered, I'm horny as hell. Let's go, shall we?"

Mike left a sizable tip on the table, and they headed for the car, arm in arm.

Arriving at her apartment, Donna insisted that Mike use the bathroom before her, and headed to the kitchen to fill some wineglasses. When he returned, she handed him the glasses, pointed to the bedroom, and disappeared, calling to him behind her back.

"Just pop those beside the bed hon, and hop in. I'll see you there."

Mike did as he was told, and was naked in the bed, wine glass in hand, when Donna reappeared, clean, perfumed, and naked as a jaybird.

"Not terribly modest, are you?"

"I'm like a switch. I either trust you or not. Given that, why sneak around in a robe?"

"It wasn't a complaint, I assure you."

"That's alright then." And she slipped into the bed beside him, and took the glass from his hand. "Drink that later. We've got work to do."

Reaching his hands out to her, Mike could have sworn he saw something glitter in her eyes. A sort of electrical flash, like a reflection of lightning, but coming from the inside. She felt incredibly soft and warm, as a woman should, and they moulded together as though designed as a matching set.

Stroking his hands down her spine, Mike was gratified to feel her whole body shiver, and squeeze even closer to him.

"Mike, I know I should be pacing myself, and making this last, but I just want you in me."

"You're not the only one. God, you're so sexy. I've never met anyone like you before."

"The feeling's mutual. I never feel like this. You must be working some sort of magic."

"Not me. I thought it was you. How do you want to do this?"

"Can I be on top?" And she threw off the sheets, and climbed up without waiting for a reply. "Ooh, that looks nice. Why were you hiding that under there?"

"I'm just shy, I guess. Not like you."

"Stop wasting time, and let me put that where it belongs."

With her knees either side of him, she wriggled around until she was in just the right spot, and slowly lowered herself, her moistness sliding easily but firmly down his penis, his hands stroking her back, and buttocks, lifting his hips slightly to assist.

Lowering herself fully, he was a perfect fit inside her. They sighed in unison, and as she leaned forward to kiss him, they caught sight of each other's eyes.

The vague, occasional glitter was replaced with a coruscating display of multi-coloured sparks within, actually glowing in the dim light. As their lips neared, sparks physically jumped between them, and finally we could communicate.

*Hello? I am Lenart. Finally I am not alone. I bow before you, in hope of friendship.*

*Lenart? I too bow, in hopes of love. I am Coda.*

Perhaps I should explain. Coda and I are ... Well the human word is 'parasite' but that has some bad connotations. Perhaps 'symbiote' is closer. We are beings consisting only of energy, and we live in the minds of some humans. I do not know how this happens, or how often. My first memory is of Michael's conception. I can only assume I was created at the same time.

We require sustenance to survive, and we get that from emotions. All of our host's emotions effect us, but sexual energy is our main form of replenishment, at least after our host reaches puberty.

In return, we assist with the health of the host, repair small problems, such as cancer, and some diseases. The host does not realise we exist. I have been encouraging Michael to masturbate and experiment sexually for years, ever since he was able. Any sexual activity gives me energy, but the orgasm is like a battery charge. In fact, I get more of a buzz from it than Mike does.

Meeting another symbiote is very rare. I could tell Donna was a host when Mike saw her at the party, and Coda could tell about Mike as well. Finally we had met. We would not easily part again.

"Mike, did you feel that?"

"You mean that sparky feeling? Yeah. You been wearing nylon panties?"

"Stop that. It was weird. Mmm... Nice kiss you've got." And they forgot about us, and carried on.

"You're not so bad yourself."

*Coda, will you join me in the ecstasy?*

*I will. Energy shared is gained for both.*

Donna started to move slowly up and down on Mike, his hands pushing her butt lightly on the down stroke, her breath coming in erratic bursts. "God, I'm so hot!"

Mike was matching her increasingly violent thrusts from below, his cock growing inside the limited space, his hands now stroking her spine, her shoulders.

As she straightened her body, and continued to pound him, lifting herself on her knees, with her hands on his chest, he gently touched the end of he nipples, then just as gently kneaded her breasts, trying not to think about the feeling between his legs, drawing out the pleasure just that little bit longer.

Donna's movements became more dramatic. She was lifting herself almost completely off him, and slamming herself down again. Finally she could take no more. Tightening her fingertips on his chest, she dug her nails into his skin, as her clitoris throbbed in orgasm, her shuddering movements on his cock were too much for Mike, and he pumped his seed into her as though her were seventeen again.

At the same time, two invisible energy pulses crossed the border between their bodies, and we orgasmed as well. The energy released flowed back through the united bodies, and both Mike and Donna were lifted higher, as Donna physically collapsed on Mike, exhausted, happy, drained, loved.

Coda spoke to me. A quiver in her message. I had never felt that before. An orgasm, yes, but not with two symbiotes. This was the meaning to our lives. *Lenart, my energy is yours. As my life.*

*Mine also, Coda. Live.*

"Mike, what the hell was that? I'm not exactly inexperienced, and that's never happened to me before. Don't get any ideas about leaving."

"I'm not going anywhere, but it wasn't me. It must have been you. It was as though I had been storing that up for years."

"Mmmm.. Well, snuggle over here closer with me. I want you here in the morning. I'm too tired now, but we need a rematch."

"Count on it."

And then, sleepily: "Mike? You know that promise? The friends thing? Forget it. I'll take this instead..."

Coda and I could continue to talk so long as they were physically touching, and of course we did not sleep. We got to know each other as the night wore on, and swore that we would keep the two of them together. Then, early in the morning, we woke our hosts, and made them do it again. Well, suggested, really. They didn't mind at all. This was going to be a good partnership.