There is no evidence that Thomas is lazy.. Even if he were, talent is talent, Harry used to go on and on in the earlier books as to how lazy he is, yet he is a very powerful and dangerous wizard.

There was a woj somewhere about it. Thomas got his wizard talent from his  mother but did not put the effort in it needed to develop it more.

But was Lara's mother a wizard? Aside from Thomas, who of Lord Raith's children's mothers were wizards?  What percent of the White Court for that matter? And wouldn't the same risks apply to Lara as any other vamp mom?  Which if Thomas is to be believed from what he told Harry back in Peace Talks is considerable. Also Lara could very well be sterile if Thomas is to be believed.

Thomas father was a vampire and his mother a wizard. Thomas is both.

Lara's looking for cover, she's frightened.  Mab's taking advantage of that to put her Knight in the White Court. Lara's been attacked twice counting White Knight and Nemesis got in close. So in that sense it's political.  But the crown doesn't pass though linage for either the Winter Court or the White Court so a baby would be worthless.

Besides you just know there will be coitus interruptus as Harry gets snatched to Mirror Mirror.

For Lara a baby would be a great potential asset. A child of Harry and her would likely be a very powerful vampire and if she can raise the baby according to her wishes she can use the child like she was used by her father. There are some risks involved but the potential power upgrade for her white court is big. Also she and her hunger might just want to reproduce. It is a common drive.

Harry and Marcone? I suppose that is more foreshadowing.

Harry and Elaine
Harry and Marcone

Both

Yes, and that was Lasciel's first mistake, she treated Harry like any other host.  Yes, Harry was fooled by Shelia at first, but once the truth was revealed to him by Butters, he was on his guard. The Shadow did manage to shape him by influencing his anger, but when Murphy sat him down and talked to him about it, and then the "lesson" that he tried to teach Molly made him realize what the Shadow was doing and he for the most part resisted that and actually changed her.  I don't think Harry could have pulled it off if he weren't a star born.  The same will or whatever it is that can resist an Outsider, can be a match for a shadow of a fallen angel.

But that was only the shadow of the real thing. If you have the real thing and you are not rejecting it sooner or later you will be the servant whether you know it or not. Especially when you don’t know it. Harry did not buy that partnership thing but Marcone apparently did.

Marcone would know, he would make it his business to know what’s going on in the Castle.

Namshiel is only able to operate in the mortal world because of his hosts free will, and Marcone is no wreck like Rasmussen.

That is what the fallen wants you to think but reality is more complicated. First the fallen can influence or even change your perception of reality. Harry got a very convincing imaginary girlfriend from a shadow so the real thing can be even worse. We have seen that a shadow can influence your emotions, Lasciel’s shadow increased his rage. Again the real deal is probably worse and we have seen several occasions when talking to a denarian host seemed to go wel and suddenly it changed.

So it resides in you, has some control over your emotions and how you see reality. Offers you solutions that will steer you into a certain direction.

The fallen might tell you about free wil but if you keep the thing for long it will change you.

I assume it will end up in a new collection of short stories sooner or later but it is frustrating to know that it is there but you can not realistically get it.