**Chapter 2: Shadows in the Night**

As the night wore on, the stranger at the bar continued to catch my eye, his piercing blue gaze lingering on me like a challenge. I tried to brush off the feeling of unease, telling myself I was just being paranoid, but my hunter instincts refused to settle. The music and laughter around me seemed to fade into the background as I found myself drawn to him, my senses on high alert. Elena, sensing my distraction, nudged me playfully. "Hey, Kris, you okay? You've been zoning out for like, five minutes." I blinked, refocusing on my friends. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...thinking about stuff." Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Stuff, huh? Like what?" I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But before I could respond, the stranger appeared at our table, his movements fluid and confident. "Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice low and smooth, like honey. Elena, always the social butterfly, grinned. "Not at all. I'm Elena, this is Bonnie, Caroline, and Kris." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm Asher. It's nice to meet you all." As he slid into the empty chair, I felt a jolt of electricity run through me, like a spark had been lit. There was something about Asher that didn't quite add up, something that set my senses on high alert. Caroline, ever the flirt, batted her eyelashes. "So, Asher, what brings you to our humble town?" Asher's gaze flickered to me, and for a moment, I thought I saw something...off. Something almost...predatory. "Just passing through," he said, his smile never wavering. "I'm a...travel writer. I'm working on a book about small towns in the South." Bonnie's eyes lit up. "No way! I've always wanted to write a book. What's it about?" As Asher launched into a charming story about his travels, I found myself listening intently, my senses still on high alert. There was something about him that didn't quite ring true, something that didn't add up. And then, just as I was starting to relax, I caught a glimpse of something – a fleeting shadow, a flicker of movement – out of the corner of my eye. My heart skipped a beat as I turned to Asher, my eyes locking onto his. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air thick with tension. "Excuse me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I think I need to go to the bathroom." As I stood up, Asher's gaze never left mine, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I felt like I was walking into a trap, like I was being pulled into something dark and unknown. As I turned to make my way to the bathroom, I could feel Asher's eyes on me, watching me, waiting for me. And I knew that this night was about to take a very dark and unexpected turn.