Pizza delivery, part XVIII

Memories flashed through my mind, though none stood out as being merely a remnant.

And no matter how I searched, there was nothing to explain who Hannah was.

"Why?" The single word held so many questions. How had he eaten my memories while trapped in the delivery bag? Why the memories of Hannah? Who was she? What would happen once the wraith finished feeding on me?

"We can be... overly eager during those first moments with our prey. Remnants of sensation, and of memories, keep the prey alive longer than consuming all at once." Smoky lifted his head from my wrist, his wings shifting. "When the prey survives beyond that time, we prolong the feast."

Grasping hold on a foolish idea, I shifted to sit on the ground while keeping my right arm outstretched. "Do you usually feed for this long on one person?"

"No. Your flavor requires savoring." Smoky's tongue flickered out, and I wondered if the wraith was becoming more substantial. He seemed to like that dragon shape.

"If you killed me now, how long would you survive imprisonment?"

"A while, but I'd become weak long before the wizard lowered the barrier." Smoky seemed displeased, which gave me some hope for my idea.

That crazy, foolish idea.

"How often do you feed, and how much do you need take?" I asked. Smoky's claws pressed painfully against my skin, their sharpness startling for a creature of smoke.

"At least thrice daily. Half a day's memory to survive, at least a day to thrive."

A day's worth of memories. If that was all he took, then this could work.

Shifting my right arm so it rested against my bent knee, I tried to ignore the weight that threatened to overwhelm me. I couldn't remember Hannah, beyond the ache of having lost something important. Could I survive if each new remnant of my lost memories increased that ache?

Possibly.

"I've an offer for you." I leaned forward, getting frightfully close to the wraith. "If you took no more than one day's worth of memories each day, then would it be possible for me to remain your host indefinitely?"

Smoky was silent for a long time, and I started wondering if I'd made a mistake. Perhaps offering a more mutually symbiotic relationship to a parasite was dumb, but it was worth a shot.

"Perhaps. We have never attempted such a thing." Smoky's words slowly filled my mind, and I could almost detect interest in his tone. "But what would you gain from this?"

"Protection from other monsters, a relief from the anxiety of waking up one morning to find you about to kill me." I shook my head. Maybe it was unnecessary, but part of me feared I'd never get back home. I wanted to be ready for whatever happened.

"And I?"

"A lifetime supply of memories, from a resigned host. Unless you consume today's memories, I suppose."

Smoky uncoiled from around my hand and stretched his wings. "Would I be restricted to another bag?"

“If you promised not to attack anyone without my approval, then you could roam freely.” I motioned at myself. “There shouldn't be any reason to attack others when you've a host to feed from.”

Smoky's tail lashed once, then the wraith dipped his head. "Very well, but what of the wizard who imprisoned us?"

"Mistress Orla is not on the menu."