I think the true love protection is not removed by not loving one self, but is put in a non-functional state. Perhaps especially in this case where Harry does not feel he is worthy of Murphs love, because he feels responsible for her death. So if the kiss is not enough to loose it, perhaps it is back by the end of 12 months, now that he can love himself and feel worthy of love.

When Susan becomes infected at the end of grave peril, book 3, it is not untill blood rites, book 6, that we know he is protected by true love. There is no way to know if he was protected when he was at his lowest in the year following grave peril.

Regarding Mabs comment about it happening twice. I would have to listen to it again, but I think it referred to how it was the second time that felt responsible for the death of his love (third time if we count Lash, and for a long time je also thought he killed Elaine). That problably has an effect on whether or not one feels worthy of being loved.

Regarding the rarity of true love protection. As far as I remember the only place the rarity of it is mentioned is Thomas saying something along the lines of "it is rarer than you think" when him and Harry first talks about it. I think that also has something to do with the humans the white court interacts with. If they targeted normal couples living like the Carpenters they would problably encounter it more often, but they target young people at night clubs and powerfull people.

I think Lara only has something to win by saying no every time Harry asks if she knows something about magic. Then she gets to learn by having him explain it and maybe some day have an edge because Harry thinks she has no knowledge of magic when actually she has some.

I cannot see what she has to win by saying yes, she knows.

I think it is understandable that Harry forgot with the state he is in.

 :)Reg. Q1.
I imagine there is some maximum security winter prison where she is also keeping and torturing the part of the being which was in Lea. Maybe somewhere below the winter castle Harry once attacked to avoid needing to transport it. And that it is then kept there ideally untill the end of time.

Edit: I also really liked the book!

I still think Toot, or possibly more members of the guard with force rings would be great. They are allways topped off because they are moving all the time and if he needs them to attack something it would be the knives/nails setup dialled up.

The water is also extra troublesome because of how it disperses magic. Odin and others use magic quite a lot.

Then I guess almost everyone intelligent suspected treachery of some sort, but the kill Chicago was just out of the realm of likelihood.

Perhaps he did not about the bronze armor thing. I guess without it they could just have killed her if she did something so direct.

Or in the alternative universe she is a full vampire and Harry has grown enough to recognize that he actually saved her soul and move on.

I agree that meeting Susan and not having grown as a character would be boring, but there are also lots of other options.