So I've gotten a few requests for something a little longer than my usual little NS snippets so here you go! The first chapter of new, longer story. I'm going to keep the male's identity a surprise for now. You'll just have to read the next chapter to see which handsome male our girl finds herself drawn to. ;) Hope you enjoy and please review!

Paths Crossed

Aria Keegan sighed as she left through the staff door at the back of the hotel, digging for her keys in the bottom of her huge purse. Her feet and back ached from the twelve hour day she had pulled and all she wanted to do was go home and fall into her bed.

Her manager had called frantically just after one this afternoon and begged her to come in. Apparently three of the other staff members had copped out of their assigned shifts when they had found out what the grand event they would be serving was.

Aria had been a little hesitant herself when she learned that the gala being held at their hotel tonight was a fundraising effort put on by the New Species Organization. She hadn't known what to expect when she'd arrived but when she finally caught a glimpse of them five hours later she was surprised to see they were pretty normal. To be fair, she only saw them from a distance as she refreshed the water pitchers on a table.

The New Species that had showed up were all tall and built, many of them with long hair. Half of them were in suits and the others were in the NSO uniforms she'd seen a few times on the news. They didn't look all that different from anyone else as far as she could see.

As the party got underway, they had been swallowed by the well dressed crowd and she had become far too busy with her work. By the time she had a moment to breathe, the New Species were getting ready to depart and the gala was wrapping up.

The sound of a helicopter overhead caught her attention and Aria looked up, watching the little blinking lights that marked a chopper move across the midnight sky. She could only imagine how small the world looked from up there.

With a disgruntled sigh, she swung her purse in front of her and started to dig seriously for her keys as she circled around the hotel and onto the street. The hotel had overflow parking at the end of the block for large events like this and being staff she was relegated to that lot during events.

The summer night was cool and she hurried down the he sidewalk, cursing herself for leaving her light jacket in the car. She ignored the shiver that ran down her spine and dug deeper into her purse.

The giant tote bag was a bad idea. She had known it when she contemplated buying it. It was also the only bag she had found that fit her work shoes, uniform, lunch, tablet, random books and other girly necessities.

And so, when the figures in the alley moved forward, advancing on her, Aria had her head down in her search for her car keys.

A firm male arm wrapped around her shoulder, startling her and giving her a solid jerk toward the mouth of the alley she walked past. "Hey sweetheart. Why don't you come join us?"

Aria spluttered, thrown off by this man who had gotten into her personal space. She tried to yank herself away but that arm tightened, steering her into the dark alley.

Her heart pounded as the man pushed her forward until she stood before him, facing two more men. The three of them closed in, surrounding her, their menace palpable.

"W-what do you want?" Aria stuttered, a fine tremble taking over her body. Why hadn't she waited for one of the others to finish so they could walk together? Why hadn't she thought to take her mom's advice and keep some sort of protection in her purse?

One of the men, a dark haired man who looked a little younger than herself, stepped forward. "We just want a little company." He sneered, voice a little slurred.

She backed up and ran into the man behind her who snaked his arms around her. One hand caught her chin and cranked her head to the side painfully.

Lips descended over hers and she clamped her mouth close but the overwhelming smell of booze rolled off him. His tongue dragged wetly over her unyielding mouth and her stomach roiled in distaste.

The other two men laughed and Aria felt a hand grab her breast roughly. She struggled as the man trying to kiss her pulled back a bit. "Open up." He growled, lowering his mouth again as his fingers squeezed, pressing into her cheeks hard enough to part her jaw. His tongue invaded and she bit down until he howled in pain.

"Thu itch!" He cursed, words muffled behind his protective hand, pushing her away from him and into the arms of the other two.

She jostled in their holds, her purse slipping off her shoulder to get caught around her elbow. Hands caught at her dress shirt, pulling until a few of the buttons give way. A hand slips up her leg from knee to upper thigh, trying to go farther until she jerked herself away.

Aria's mouth opened, shock finally withdrawing enough that action was taking over. She drew in a big breath and belted out a scream that was cut off seconds after it started when a fist slammed into her stomach, doubling her over. Aria gasped but couldn't seem to draw air into her lungs. The ground she stared at seemed to move of it's own volition.

One of the men moved behind her, giving a wolf whistle before he slapped her rear hard and then ground his hips against her, hand fisted in the back of her button down uniform shirt.

The man she had bitten stepped forward and caught the base of her ponytail, yanking her head up. "You're going to regret that, honey. No one turns me down." He hissed angrily in her face, spittle flying. His palm impacted her cheek so abruptly it caught her off guard and she cried out, the taste of blood filling her mouth. Tears blinded her and she began to fight wildly, no rhyme or reason to her strikes. The man behind her lost his grip and she wrenched violently to the side, breaking free for an instant.

That was all it took.

Aria bolted, tired feet pounding back down the alley and out onto the sidewalk. The sound of jeering laughter and clamor of feet followed her, making her panic. When her purse slipped from her arm to fall to the pavement she didn't bother with it.

It would turn out to be a fatal mistake.

One of the big shoulder straps caught her foot causing her to tumble off balance and pitch into the street. The last thing she remember was a scream tearing from her mouth and the bright lights of an oncoming car.